The Actor's Rift
by Curiosity's Principle
Summary: Jack Bauer and four men with the same face find themselves drawn together in search of the one man who connects them all. Kiefer Sutherland. Crossover with the Lost Boys, Dark City, Eye of the Killer, Desert Saints and more. Don't have to have seen them
1. Chapter I: Introductions

Disclaimer: I own none of the characters nor Kiefer W.F.D.G.R.Sutherland. These characters come from movies and tv shows that Mr. Sutherland has been in. You don't have to know them all I think, I'll tell you what you need to know.

Note: Interested in a trailer? Go to youtube and look for " 'the Actor's Rift' trailer" done by an alternate persona of mine: SilentShadow1308. Reviews and comments for both are appreciated.

_**The Actor's Rift**_

_When you become an actor, you know you're going to affect people's lives somehow. They'll come see your play, movie, show, whatever and be moved either to like or dislike you. If you're any good it'll be in the way you want them to feel. If you're lucky you'll end up with a good fan base, maybe some people who come to your set and scream your name. What they never tell you in show business is that sometimes you do more than just entertain and move. Sometimes you can blur the lines between the definitions of fiction and reality. Sometimes you create life... And sometimes you destroy it. -Kiefer Sutherland .-.-.-(not in RL, people. For this story. I own nothing but the plot)_

_**Introductions**_

Two men stood side by side on the nighttime street outside a high end motel. One was a middle-aged blond with short cropped hair bearing a frown. His hand rested on the holstered standard issue handgun on his hip normally hidden beneath his suit jacket. Just to his right stood his opposite, a pale young man in his late teen years, his bleach-blond mullet reminiscent of an earlier decade. He wore a long black trench coat and in one leather gloved hand he held a pack of cigarettes. His expression was that of semi-amusement. Despite their difference in age and style there was a great deal of similarity in their physical features, more so than a father and son.

The younger one pulled a cigarette from the pack, slipping it behind his ear before offering the box to the older man who glanced at it a longing moment before declining, looking back to the building before them.

"So? What do you make of it?" the bleach blond in the rock band attire questioned.

"I … don't know. If it was just you, that'd be one thing, but now another?" The elder shook his head.

"Know what you mean. Looks more like you than me though."

The older man snorted and glanced to his companion. "I've had some pretty weird days. Long days that didn't make a whole lot of sense when they started. But this…"

"I don't know. I'm still debating."

"What could've happened to you that is stranger than this?"

"Well… There's the day I died. That was a pretty freaky night," the younger one replied casually.

"Hm. You look pretty alive for a dead man, David," the other said.

"I get that a lot," David said as he tucked the pack of cigarettes away.

Behind the curtains of the room they were watching, a shadow moved.

"You think he knows we're here?" David asked, flipping his lighter open and shut absent mindedly.

"I didn't know you were here."

"I mean _here_ here. Standing outside. I don't think he'd be expecting us either, though it might be nice to find someone who can explain all this," David replied.

"All what?"

"Exactly."

The man shook his head and slid his hand off his gun. "I'll be right back."

"What, you're gonna ask him? What the hell are you going to say?"

"Just stay here and don't move."

The teenager rolled his eyes in annoyance, but remained where he was.

The older man strode up to the motel room and paused only a second before rapping loudly on the wooden door. He waited a moment, but could hear no movement. He knocked again, more roughly than before and this time the door opened, slowly as if it hadn't been properly closed. The room was dark, though it hadn't been when he'd started over. The man was immediately on edge and his right hand snaked down until it grasped the weapon at his side. He removed it from its holster but kept it close to his side, barrel pointed down.

"Hello?" He questioned as he took a step inside. He was about to say more when a shadow moved by the bedside and a familiar voice shouted at him.

"Put down your weapon now or I will shoot!"

The man tensed, but did not comply.

The shadow remained where he was, behind the protection of the bed. "You are breaking and entering, so I suggest you do as you're told."

"Alright. Calm down. That was an accident. I'm putting my weapon on the floor." Slowly the man crouched and did just that before standing and stepping away. "I'm with the police and if you'll let me, I can show you my badge."

The shadow stood slowly, moved to the table at the bedside and flicked on a lamp. As soon as they adjusted to the brightness, both men's eyes widened. The pair were near mirror images of each other. The former shadow with the gun frowned deeply.

"Identify yourself," he ordered.

The 'intruder' swallowed hard, then slowly pulled his jacket aside to reveal the golden badge on his belt. "My name's Detective Michael Hayden. Mick's just fine."

This answer didn't seem satisfactory to the gunman, though it seemed he wasn't sure how to phrase why. Mick understood. At least he and the kid had the age difference. This man seemed pretty much the same age as he and though Mick didn't often stand in front of a mirror while pointing a gun, he was pretty sure that he looked just like this stranger when he did.

"Let me see that," the stranger ordered, motioning to the badge with his weapon.

With one hand still out non-threateningly, he took a few slow steps closer to the stranger and tossed it down on the bed.

"Your turn," Mick said.

The stranger picked up the badge, weapon still pointed, but out of Mickey's reach. Once he was convinced it was authentic, he tossed it back at him, making Mick fumble to catch it.

"Federal Agent Jack Bauer," the man replied, showing him his own badge. "I work with the Los Angeles Counter Terrorist Unit. Why are you here?"

"A federal agent?" Mick sighed and ran his fingers through his short hair. Before he could say any more, a voice came from the door, surprising them both.

"So I guess he's not the one we're looking for, huh?"

Jack was silent as the kid strode boldly into the room, glancing at Mick's abandoned gun before passing it by.

"Well, well. Two dogs of the law. Guess I'll have to behave myself."

David looked rather out of place. An 80's style rocker or motorcycle gang member between two averagely dressed adults.

Mick rolled his eyes and glanced back to Jack who was watching David with confusion only slightly visible in his expression. David met the man's gaze straight on, a smirk playing on his lips. Mick didn't like that. There was something about David that seemed… wrong. Something that went deeper than his eccentric appearance. It radiated off of him like a field of energy. It was almost unnoticeable, but it was there. And when it came to feelings like that, Mick had learned to trust his instincts.

"He looks just like you," David replied, looking to Mick. "Hope you don't mind if I get you mixed up."

Jack looked annoyed. "Who is this and what are either of you doing here?"

Mick took a breath. First things first. "This is David."

"Your son?"

David chuckled darkly and Mick shook his head. "Not mine. He isn't yours is he?"

"Are you part of a missing persons case, Detective?" Jack questioned in irritation.

"No… Well maybe. We _are_ looking for someone. Someone who may be involved… with all of us somehow."

Jack glanced momentarily at David who watched quietly, that smirk still on his pale lips.

"What do you mean?"

"Has anything strange happened to you lately?"

"Including or not including this?" Jack asked.

"Oh, this counts, I think," David replied, taking the cigarette from behind his ear and going to light it.

"Not in here," Jack ordered, his tone leaving no room for debate. David looked up at him in annoyance, the cigarette in his mouth, then continued to watch as he lit the thing anyway.

Jack grimaced. "I thought kids these days were supposed to know better."

David sucked in deeply then let the smoke out in a puff. "Old habit."

"Look, we've got more important matters to think about," Mickey declared.

"Yeah, like why you two are twins who look like aged versions of me," David said.

"Or whether or not Agent Bauer has had those dreams."

"I haven't had time to sleep in a while," Jack said flatly.

"What are you doing out here?" Mickey asked.

Mickey didn't miss Jack's frown, as if he himself weren't quite sure. "I'm on business," Jack replied.

"Are you looking for someone?"

Jack said nothing for a moment. "Why don't you tell me first?"

"Yes, we are looking for someone," David replied sharply, obviously becoming annoyed with Mickey's less than direct tactics and Jack's less than open responses. Their personalities at this point seemed the same side of the same coin as far as David was concerned and frankly, he didn't care for it. "Apparently he's behind the meeting of myself and Mickey here, taking us away from our daily, and nightly, routines. Perhaps he's why you're here as well. We're looking for another guy who looks like us whose fate decides our own."

Ashes fell as David tapped his cigarette over the metal garbage can. Then he continued. "You don't happen to know a man by the name of Sutherland, do you? Kiefer Sutherland?"

-.-.-.-.-.-

-End Chapter-

-.-.-.-.-.-


	2. Chapter II: Searching for Sutherland

-_Thank you twentyfour.mad for your review._

_Disclaimer: I own none of the characters nor Kiefer W.F.D.G.R.Sutherland. These characters come from movies and tv shows that Mr. Sutherland has been in. You don't have to know them all I think, I'll tell you what you need to know._

_Note: Interested in a trailer? Go you and look for " 'the Actor's Rift' trailer" done by an alternate persona of mine: SilentShadow1308. Continued reviews and comments for both are appreciated_.

_**Searching For Sutherland**_

"So what's your plan?" Mick asked.

"I'm going to ask her where Sutherland is," Jack replied, checking the clip of his gun before holstering it once more.

"I don't think that'll work," Mick said. "You look just like him, from what I gather. So do I. I think that's part of the mystery here."

Jack frowned. He hadn't known that. He hated feeling out of the loop and that's just what he felt here. The detective and the kid, David, both seemed to have vague information that they couldn't explain how they'd gotten. At least not in a way that Jack accepted. 'I see it in dreams' was not good enough. Perhaps it was somewhat contradictory of him since although Jack had not had dreams, at least none that he remembered, he still just felt that finding this guy, this Sutherland character, was important.

"My point is," the detective continued, "She'll probably just think you're joking and that you _are_ Sutherland."

Jack said nothing, looking at the office building thoughtfully. The three had gotten a lucky break when David, who tended walked somewhat aloof from the others, overheard a conversation between two young adults ogling the building they stood before and identifying it as a location where information on Sutherland was kept. Why the information was there and what kind of information it was was unknown and they hadn't been able to intercept the chatting couple before they had gotten into a cab and departed. They could only hope that the information included his home address.

The lobby of the building was empty save for the secretary. With a sigh Jack turned to the kid.

"David," he said seriously. "You're going to have to go in there."

"Figures," was all he said. Of the three men, David looked the least like Sutherland, if only because he was a good twenty years younger. The leather clad teenager stamped out his cigarette as Jack continued.

"She probably won't tell you exactly where he is since you don't have an appointment and it's late, but-"

"I've got it," David told him calmly, that devilish smirk playing on his face. Jack frowned and clasped him firmly on the shoulders.

"This is serious, David. If you can't do this, we'll be back to square one. Detective Hayden is right. They won't take him or me seriously without us resorting to force."

David brushed Jack off with surprising strength, seeming annoyed with the man's attitude.

"I know. I can handle it, _Jack_." He began to move off. "Give me five minutes."

And with that he crossed the street and entered the building. Jack watched him, calculating the teenager's chances and whether or not he should go in after him if he failed. Beside him Mick crossed his arms and sighed.

"That kid's a piece of work," he replied.

Jack found himself responding with a small smile and a laugh. "Where'd you find him anyway?"

"He found me actually. Showed up in my office in the middle of the night without a sound. Scared the crap out of me. At first I thought he was some street thug one of the cops brought in, but he had no cuffs. Then I noticed the resemblance and, well, I didn't know what to think. Still don't."

Jack nodded as he looked momentarily to his double. He knew what Mick meant. The detective continued.

"Then he asked me if I was Kiefer Sutherland. Seemed pretty convinced that I was. Thing is, I'd been hearing about this guy too. Seeing him in dreams, that is. I'd figured that he was just some character in my head that I'd dreamed up, some different version of myself, since he looked like me, but after David showed up..." Mick waved a hand as if to say 'well, you know'.

Jack nodded, but said nothing. It all seemed too fictional for him. Then the door of the building swung open and David strode out, glancing back mischievously over his shoulder. He crossed the dark street hardly looking for oncoming traffic and approached them.

"That was quick," Mick said.

"Did you get it?" Jack questioned.

David looked at them and past them by. The two adults frowned and watched as he paced to Jack's SUV. He opened the door and slid into the passenger seat, propping his feet onto the dashboard before he finally turned to them with a grin.

"I know where he is."

"Where?" the pair asked.

"Not far from here," David revealed. "He's at home."

-.-.-.-.-.-.-

_Character Profile #1:_

_Michael "Mickey" Hayden_

_Detective Mickey Hayden has an ability he never asked for. After hitting his head in a chase, Mick found that he sometimes gets visions when he touches other people's belongings. At first he didn't understand, but he came to terms with the truth in time to solve the mystery of a serial killer by seeing through his eyes as he commits his murders._

_Post "Eye of the Killer" aka "After Alice", Mickey has found a reason to sober up, quit smoking, and get his life back together. Everything seemed finally to be looking up for Mick. Then along came David._

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

End Chapter

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Author's Note: This chapter was a little short so I'll probably be posting the next one soon. Reviews let me know you care and make me add 'em more quickly.


	3. Chapter III: The Sniper

_Twentyfour.mad: Always a pleasure, mate! Hope you continue to enjoy._

_Disclaimer: See previous umm... disclaimers. There's been no change in my lack of ownership. _

_Continued Note: Interested in a trailer? Go you and look for " 'the Actor's Rift' trailer" done by an alternate persona of mine: SilentShadow1308. _

_Continued reviews and comments for both are appreciated._

**_The Sniper_**

Jack, Mick, and David strode towards the house. It hadn't taken them more than half an hour to locate the semi-remote home and now, it seemed, it would only be a matter of moments before the truth would finally be revealed. The clouds moved across the sky, covering the moon and making it that much harder to see where the light of the few outdoor lamps did not reach. Mick and Jack were looking around warily, wondering just what they were going to say to Sutherland when they saw him. Then again, if he really was the mastermind behind whatever was going on with them, maybe they wouldn't have to say anything.

That was partly what made them wary. Jack was especially suspicious. Nothing added up. And when nothing added up, well, that's usually when everything went wrong. He glanced behind him at Mick and then David. Mick was tense and prepared. And David... The kid gave no indication that he even cared. He looked around the yard, but not for anything in particular. He walked slowly, but he always walked slowly. In fact it seemed more like stalking than walking to Jack.

Jack made eye contact with the both of them meaningfully. The detective nodded and the kid smirked but didn't change his almost lazy stride. Jack shook his head and turned back to the front, taking up the point instinctively. Mick kept in close behind him, scanning the north side of the lawn and the street. They'd reached the stone path that led to the front door when suddenly strong hands shoved him to the ground a split second before the reverberation of gunfire filled the air.

Jack dropped into an awkward shoulder roll, drawing his gun as he did so. As soon as he was back on his feet he scanned the area for the attacker. But the shooting had stopped as suddenly as it had begun with no sign of the shooter.

"Hayden, David, you ok?" He called, still scanning the area. The shots had come from above. Maybe the roof?

"Fine," came his own voice. Mick was all right. "Where's the shooter?"

Jack shook his head. He didn't see him. He also didn't see David.

"Dammit," he cursed under his breath.

Suddenly there came another round of gunfire. The agent and the detective charged for the safety of the house, standing pressed against the wall. But something about the sound of the gunfire was different. The shots stopped even more quickly this time and slightly muffled sound gave the impression that they were aimed in a different direction. Jack was breathing hard, but his face held an air of calm. This time he knew where they were coming from. It wasn't from the house at all, but from a window in the attic of the garage, a structure completely separate from the house and across the lawn from them.

Apparently Mick figured it out too, for he motioned towards it with his hand. Jack signaled for him to go around the side and that he'd take the front. Mick nodded. Jack fired several covering rounds and Mick hurried away, his walk reminding Jack too much of his own. He shot again to hopefully keep the sniper from firing at him then made his way out. He'd reached the front of the garage and was about to open the door when it opened on its own. Jack leapt to the side and out of direct line of fire and aimed his weapon at head height.

"Drop your weapon and come out slowly!" he ordered.

"Calm down, it's just me," came an unexpected voice and David poked his head out of the garage. He smiled at Jack's surprise.

"What the hell are you doing?" the federal agent shouted.

David glowered at him then motioned for him to come inside without another word. Jack frowned as he followed the teenager. Mick appeared in the back of the darkened and empty garage then, aiming his weapon until he spotted something hidden from Jack's view by the shadows.

"Is this him?" Mick asked, kneeling down. "Is this Sutherland?"

Jack stepped around the teenager and saw what Mick was looking at. It was another double. Jack suppressed his confusion at the impossibility of it all and leaned in closer. The shooter was unconscious, lying as if he'd been dropped carelessly in his current position. Jack looked up then, realizing that the sniper must have been brought down from the loft of the garage. He hadn't fallen, he'd been placed. But by the kid? In such a short amount of time? Jack's gaze returned to the strange David as the pale young man answered the question.

"Don't know. Figured we could ask that after he stopped shooting at us," David replied.

"How'd you get in here so fast?" Jack asked.

David shrugged, and tried unsuccessfully to stifle a wince. "I'm just fast."

"What's wrong?" Jack questioned, noticing David's slip.

"Nothing," David answered.

The agent didn't believe him and started to approach. "Were you hit?"

"I'm. Fine," David said. His voice was calm, but his face showed that any more persistence from Jack would change that. "You should probably tie up our new friend. He'll be waking up soon."

Jack eyed the stubborn young man another moment then nodded. No wound was visible beneath David's long black coat and if the wound were life threatening, he'd be showing signs by now. But he was no paler than he normally was and his eyes revealed no unusual dilation. Jack glanced back at Mick who was still crouched and seemed to be debating something internally as Jack moved to the far wall where he found some spare cable hanging from a hook.

"David, if you're all right, go back to the house and see if anyone's home. Hayden, did you search for identification?"

Mick was standing now, frowning down at the unconscious doppelganger. "Yeah. There's nothing. I've got nothing."

An odd way to phrase it, Jack thought. He filed the thought away for later and looked to see if David was going to do as he was told. But he was already gone, without a sound. Not many things creeped Jack Bauer out, but something about David, and this whole situation, came very close to doing so.

"I'll go to the house too. Start a search if no one's there," Mick declared.

"Fine, but first help me tie him up."

-.-.-.-.-.-.-

"What the hell are you doing?! You can't torture him!" Mick yelled.

Jack didn't respond. He just stared down at the doppelganger tied to the chair who met the icy blue stare dead on, returning it in kind.

Almost as soon as they had tied the fourth look alike to the chair, the man had groggily awoken. Jack had begun interrogating him.

"Answer the question," Jack ordered, not paying Mick any heed. The stranger didn't reply. Out of nowhere Jack punched the guy hard across the face, sending blood from his mouth.

To the side, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest, David chuckled, enjoying the scene. It made Mickey sick. The somewhat sadistic teenager had returned from the house far too quickly to have possibly checked the whole thing declaring that the home was as deserted as the car-less garage.

That's when Jack pulled a switch blade from his pocket and both Mick and the tied up stranger's eyes widened.

"Tell me now or I will start cutting."

"Bauer!" Mick shouted. "Don't do this."

Jack ignored him, leaning in closer. That was enough for Mick. He pulled his weapon and aimed at Jack.

"Stop it now, Jack. This is wrong."

Suddenly David was between Jack and Mick's gun, a wicked grin on his young face.

"You'll have to shoot through me, Mickey."

"David, step aside."

"No. I like this guy's style."

Mick's eyes blazed, but before he could do anything a shout came from the prisoner.

"Fine, alright, I'll talk. Honestly, though, I don't know what's going on," he replied with only a hint of nervousness, despite the blade pressed to his cheek.

"Who are you?" Jack questioned.

"My name's Banks."

Jack remained as still as stone, but the threat was all too clear.

"_Arthur_ Banks, alright? I saw you guys get out of that car and I figured you for cops, so I was going to take you out. It was as simple as that. I fired off a round. But that was before I saw your faces. After that, well, I didn't know what to think."

"So you shot some more? Kill now, ask questions later?" Jack asked.

"I only shot at you the first round," he said as if that made it better some how. "Then I saw your faces and paused. The kid there was gone after knocking you two over. He showed up behind me. Surprised me. The second round of fire was at him."

Banks's narrowed eyes went to David, but he didn't move his head as the knife was still pressed to his skin. "I swear I hit him too, but the kid moves like a shadow. Kudos, by the way. It's not often I miss my mark."

David smirked at him. Banks wrinkled his nose then turned his attention back to them all as a group.

"So who the hell are you three anyway? Do any of you happen to be Kiefer Sutherland?"

-.-.-.-.-.-.-

"What do you mean gone?" Mick shouted.

David just looked at him. Mick shook his head in annoyance and turned to Jack who was already examining the chair and the chord that only ten minutes earlier had bound Arthur Banks. Now he was gone. They'd went inside the house to verify that it was in fact empty and when they'd returned, well...

"Where's the rifle?" Jack asked also turning to David.

David bent over and pulled the weapon out of the shadows before tossing it deftly to Mick. "Guess he left in a hurry."

"He might still be around then," Mick reasoned. "We should look for him."

"He's long gone," David replied. "We shouldn't waste our time."

Jack and Mick looked to him questioningly. When David only turned away from them Jack put the question into words.

"And you know this how?"

David paused in the doorway, the moonlight silhouetting him with its eerie glow. "I just know."

-.-.-.-.-.-.-

_Character Profile #2_

_Jack Bauer:_

_Federal Agent Jack Bauer, works for the Counter Terrorist Unit in Los Angeles. Jack is a key member of CTU and has prevented several major terrorist attacks on the US. He's a hard man, but one who will go to extreme lengths to protect his family and his country despite great personal cost. _

_Between seasons three and four Jack Bauer found himself with a name in his head. He searched all CTU databases and then went on to government files but still he found nothing. With the name still haunting him and an urgency he couldn't pinpoint Jack took some vacation time and found himself in a high end motel outside of LA, waiting for something to happen. He waited two days, searching the internet and his own mind for answers but came up with nothing. And then Mick and David showed up. _


	4. Chapter IV: David

_24.mad, molekiller, and Allyson Baur: Glad you're enjoying! Thanks for reviewing. :)_

_Disclaimer: See previous disclaimers. There's been no change in my lack of ownership. _

_Continued reviews and comments for both are appreciated_.

_**David**_

What was it about David that bothered him so? Mick found himself watching the young man as they waited around the corner from the diner for Jack. He hadn't minded when Jack volunteered to be the one who went in for some food to help them get through the long night, partly because he wanted to stick close to David who, Mick was realizing, was more strange than he'd before thought. Mick found himself wanting to use his 'ability' on the kid, just to learn more about him.

It had only worked once recently and that was in Sutherland's home. He'd touched a remote while searching Sutherland's house and had seen through the man's eyes as he spoke to a girl he learned was the man's daughter as he told her to be safe as she ran out the door to meet her friends. Usually he didn't like the idea of his 'psychic thing', but now... Well it'd definitely help and of course it wasn't working. They had no leads on Sutherland's location and from the amount of clothes missing from each resident's room, it looked like they were all gone and might be for some time.

But now he wanted his ability for something else. Someone else.

"Hey," Mick said and David turned to him with a quirked eyebrow. "Still got an extra smoke?"

David pursed his lips and reached into his pocket. "For me, anything." David replied with a smirk.

"Ha. Ha. Don't worry, kid. I'm not you," Mick replied, smiling to hide his anxiety.

David gave a short laugh in amusement and tossed him the pack. "You had me under the impression you didn't smoke."

Mick caught it swiftly, preparing himself for the jolt he got when he 'saw' things, but he wasn't prepared enough. He caught the box gently but as the energy that was David passed from his property to Mick like a bolt of electricity, Mick's arm spasmed and he reflexively crushed it. His arm went numb and the feeling quickly spread through his body as images flashed through his head.

_A blood curdling scream filled the air, a sound that chilled Mickey to the bone. Worse however was that as his vision focused, Mick Hayden found himself biting down on some poor woman's neck. Deep red blood streamed from her that he was quick to drink up. His grip was firmly around the woman's arms, keeping her pinned against a wall. Mick realized that it was from her that the scream had come, but now as he pulled away her eyes were closed and her body was limp... She was dead and he- no- David had killed her. Killed her by tearing into her neck and drinking her life away like a- _

"Hey!"

Mick blinked as the vision cleared and turned his now disbelieving and fear filled eyes on David who was looking at him angrily.

"What's wrong with you?" David asked.

Mick swallowed hard. How could it be true? This wasn't a horror movie, this was real life. David... David was a –

"What?" David asked, his voice low and without a hint of concern for the man who'd looked as if he was going into some sort of seizure only a moment before.

Mick finally shook his head and noticed the crushed cigarettes in his hand. Assuming that's what the kid was referring to he replied, "Oh. Uh, sorry about that. I'll buy you a new pack."

"That's not what I meant," David replied, looking Mick over. "I meant finish your thought."

"What?"

"David is a...? Is a what?" David visually licked his seemingly normal teeth, but Mick understood the gesture and that made David laugh. "Now my question is: how did you know that from a pack of cigarettes?"

"You can read minds?" Mick asked incredulously.

David snorted. "Don't be ridiculous. It was written all over your face."

Mick clenched his hand around the cigarette pack and shifted his stance so that he better faced David, and so that his other hand was subtly closer to his gun. David noticed though and he smirked.

"Bullets can't kill me."

"I don't believe that. You're just a sick kid, David. You need help."

"Just like you need help, right? No, you are something too aren't you... What? Psychic?" David shook his head in an incredulous amusement.

"So you believe in vampires but not in psychics?" Mick asked, wondering when Jack was going to show.

"I don't need to _believe_ in vampires. Psychics though... never really believed in that," he said with a chuckle. "They're just too fictional."

Had Mick been in the mood, he might have laughed at this as well, but he kept seeing through David's eyes as he pulled away from the lifeless woman, his mouth covered in blood, but a grand smile on his lips and an invigorating power flowing through his veins. It was sickening.

David took a step forward and Mick took a step back.

"What are you going to do?" Mick asked, his voice betraying his nervousness.

"Good question. That depends on you I suppose."

"Why?"

The kid- creature?- tipped his head to the side. "Well, if you promise to behave... I won't have to kill you. The three of us can continue this search."

"So you'd kill me? Just like that?"

"Without a second thought."

"You're not that psychotic."

"Believe what you want, but I think I've killed enough people to not have qualms with killing one more. Look alike or no," David replied.

Mick was silent, his mind going over all the options.

"Don't think of trying to warn Bauer either. Not that he'd believe you. The three of us have a better chance if we work together, but if I feel threatened in any way by you I will kill you both, leave you in a ditch, and continue on my own. Maybe I'll go find that Banks guy. He seemed resourceful."

Mick grimaced at the teenager, but again said nothing. The pair remained silent, eyes locked for several moments until Jack came around the corner.

"Let's go," was all he said. He tossed a large, brown paper bag to David then started to walk away. The pair glanced at each other once more, David's eyes filled with warning and Mick's a solemn mask.

They followed Jack down the street and across the empty parking lot between two dark factory buildings. Once they were all out of immediate view of the street and nearly to the vehicle, Jack turned around unexpectedly.

"All right, do you two have something you want to tell me?" he asked.

Mick's eyes widened in surprise while David's narrowed suspiciously. Maybe Jack was the mind reader.

"Well? Is there a problem?"

David spoke first. "No. No problem."

"Hayden?" Jack asked, not taking his eyes off of David.

Mick paused for only a moment. He was sure if Jack were on his side, David could be handled.

"Yeah, Jack, I think there might be."

David turned to glare at him, the groceries in his hands doing little to lessen those intimidating eyes, so like yet unlike his own. Mick stared right back though, taking a few steps away as David reiterated his own statement.

"There's no problem unless you make one."

"I don't know where you come from, kid," Jack said seriously, drawing David's attention. "But I don't think killing should be something to be talked about so lightly."

How much Jack had overheard, Mick wasn't sure, but apparently it was enough. Jack knew David was a danger. David frowned, tossing the bag to the ground beside him and Jack tensed, perhaps also feeling that aura that emanated from the vampire.

"Does it really matter what I've done? I can help you find Sutherland, just as you can help me."

Jack didn't reply, but the angry look on his hard features said that he was no longer interested in working with David. The vampire rolled his eyes.

"I don't want to kill you," he replied.

"What happened to 'without a second thought'?" Jack asked.

David smirked. Then suddenly he rushed to the side and ripped Mick's hand away from his gun. The detective shouted in agony as David twisted his wrist further than it was supposed to go.

A shot sounded in the air and David roared, his balance thrown as a bullet pierced his leg. But it didn't stop him. Using Mick's arm to maneuver him, Mick suddenly found himself a human shield. They faced Jack who still held his now smoking gun out and ready, though his eyes had gone somewhat wide in surprise as he saw David's face which had transformed to into a demonic guise. His blue eyes had gone an eerie yellow and his brow had protruded forward slightly only adding to his new monster-like appearance. The creature grinned at the disbelieving look on Jack Bauer's face then bared his elongated teeth, bent Mick's neck to the side, and leaned in for the kill.

However surprised he'd been at David's face and his actions now, it wasn't enough to make Jack freeze up. As David moved down, Jack took the only shot open to him.

David grunted as the bullet pierced his skull. His body went slack and he collapsed in a heap on the pavement. Mick gasped in surprise and jumped away as soon as he was free, his hand moving to his gun though logically he knew David would not get up again. Jack approached him slowly, gun still out and at the ready.

"You ok?" he asked the detective.

Mick nodded, rubbing his neck where he'd felt teeth just begin to press down and the pair looked down at the fallen boy. Jack seemed a little shaken as he looked at the body. David's face was normal once more, marred only by a line of blood trailing down from the bullet wound in his forehead. He looked even younger than he had before as he lay there, too young either way to have had to go like he did.

"You did what you had to," Mick told him, realizing the guilt the man was feeling. Jack gave a slight nod and put away his weapon silently, looking at the teenager a few seconds longer before turning away.

Mick knelt down and touched his fingers to David's neck, just to set his mind at ease, when again he was jolted by a vision that was so jumbled it didn't make sense. A second later he found himself sitting on the ground, eyes wide in alarm. Jack, who'd taken out his cell phone, looked back at him.

"Are you all right?" he asked. "What's wrong?"

Mick swallowed hard and stood, brushing himself off. "Nothing..."

Mick looked down pityingly and confusedly at David's fallen form as if waiting for something. But nothing happened. He heard something beeping and he spotted Jack moving away from him typing into his phone and moving about to try and find a signal.

"What are you doing?" Mick asked, heading towards him.

"Calling the authorities. I have to let them know someone's dead."

"They'll want to take you into custody you know."

"I know. But we don't have time for that. We've got to find Sutherland."

"You can't just ... run from the cops."

"I'll tell them who I am, leave my number and tell them I'm working on something and don't have time for that now."

"And you think they'll take that?"

"They won't have a choice. I'm not just going to..." His voice trailed off as something behind Mickey caught his attention.

"What the hell?" He heard Jack say as he spun around and also spotted what Jack was staring at.

"Jesus Christ," Mick whispered.

Where David had been laying cold and dead only moments ago was now only an empty space smeared with blood and in the middle of it all two bullets sat side by side on the pavement.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Jack and Mick, after searching the area and finding no trace of David, had gotten into the SUV and started off, not sure where they were going, just going. Mick was finally starting to accept what David was, but Jack was a little less acknowledging.

"He thinks he's a what?"

Mick sighed and repeated himself yet again. "A vampire."

"A vampire..."

The pair were silent for a moment.

"What do you believe?" Jack asked.

"I guess I believe that too," the detective answered. If the two visions he'd seen hadn't been enough, David's disappearance after a bullet to the brain certainly shifted the idea to the 'likely' column.

"You can't be serious," Jack replied.

"Well, what do you make of it then?"

Jack was silent, eyes on the road, but in his mind he was obviously searching for an answer that he could accept.

"Agent Bauer, I've seen some weird stuff in my day. Really weird stuff. I think it's possible. More than possible. I can't think of another reason. He may or may not be a vampire of legend, but either way he's something not exactly human."

"No one could have carried him off that quickly or quietly. We would have noticed," Jack conceded. But that looked about all he was going to say for now.

"Fine. Back to the task at hand," Mick said, pulling out a notepad from his jacket pocket.

"Sutherland."

"So. What do we know?" Mickey asked.

Jack sighed. "Nothing. Do you think your people might have something on him?"

"My people? Oh, the police. No. I checked before I left with David. There's no Kiefer Sutherland on our records. What about you? You're a federal agent. You've got to have more information than I'd have access to."

"I did a search before I left CTU, but couldn't find anything. I've tried to call back since then, but I haven't been able to reach them." That seemed to worry Jack.

"Well... I guess he's not a terrorist then."

"Yeah."

Jack slowed the car then made a quick u-turn and started heading back the way they'd come.

"Where are we going?"

"Back to that office."

"The office? It's nearly 12am now, it probably won't be open."

"That's probably for the best," was Jack's solemn response.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Jack and Mick moved slowly into the office building. It had been surprisingly easy to find a way in. The front door had been locked, but an emergency exit around the side had not only been open, but there was no alarm. The pair had avoided the security cameras as best they could, sliding along walls, crawling along floors, etc etc. Now they found themselves in a first floor office.

"We weren't the first ones here," Mick declared, echoing Jack's own thoughts as they saw the mess.

Files lay atop the desk in a less than tidy order. Jack took out his gun and motioned to Mick to move towards the door into the lobby.

"No. You weren't."

The familiar voice came from behind them, behind the desk, though they'd been alone only moments earlier. Jack and Mickey, guns in hands, spun around sharply. There, in the tall chair sat David, seemingly as alive as he'd always been.

"What happened to you?" Jack demanded.

"You shot me, that's what happened," David replied crossly. Mick noted that there was no longer a bullet hole, though a red spot was still visible on his forehead.

Jack looked ready to yell some more, but David continued.

"Look, I guess I should apologize for my actions earlier," He replied, looking namely to Mick, who was still holding his gun in his left hand rather than his right. "I hadn't fed in quite some time and with you all threatening me, well... I lost myself to instinct I suppose."

Mick and Jack frowned, expressions so similar that David couldn't help but laugh.

"How did you survive a head shot?" Jack questioned.

"Like I told Mickey here; bullets can't kill me."

"Bullets can kill anyone," Jack replied.

"Oh, you're right, my mistake. I'll just keel over now," David said, sarcasm and amusement dripping from his tone.

"Then what the hell are you?" Jack growled.

"What do you think I am?" David questioned back.

"I'm the one asking the questions here," Jack replied, his voice revealing that he was in no mood for games.

"I think not," David replied calmly.

Jack remained silent a moment, his eyes penetrating David so thoroughly it actually unnerved the vampire. Then, though it hadn't seemed possible, Jack's expression became even more serious. David's eyes widened and he leapt from the chair as Jack pulled the trigger.

Mick shouted in surprise and David cursed angrily as he gripped his arm. The bullet had only torn a hole through his coat and grazed his flesh, but the point was made.

"What the-"

"Maybe bullets can't kill you, but I bet they damn well hurt," Jack shouted, cutting the angry David off. "Now you answer my questions or I'll keep shooting! And if you still refuse... Well I guess I'll just have to go find myself a wooden stake."

David remained where he was, hunched over, gripping his arm and staring at Jack Bauer with utter surprise and disbelief. Mick stood silent, shocked and honestly wondering if he should be more frightened of the supposed creature of the undead or the living man at his side. Finally David smiled.

"You're crazy, Bauer. And more than a little sadistic," he replied. Jack tensed his finger on the trigger and David put his good hand up in surrender, the smirk not leaving his face. "Fine. You ask the questions and I answer."

"So?" Jack inquired.

David straightened and sneered the words at him. "I'm a vampire."

"Vampires don't exist."

"Neither do psychics I bet," David said. At Jack's slightly inclined eyebrows David looked to Mickey who was now glaring. "You mean Mick hasn't told you his little ability?"

Jack glanced to Mickey who shrugged helplessly then nodded.

"Great," was all Jack said.

-.-.-.-.-

They were all in the car again. David handcuffed in the back looking more bored than anything. Mick sat beside him, his hand wrapped around his gun and Jack was in the front, driving at breakneck speed. He always seemed to be in a rush. Not that Mick blamed him. He wanted to know what was going on as much as any of them.

A sigh at his side brought Mick's attention back to David who watched the cars they were quickly leaving in the dust. Mick remembered his second vision then. The one he'd seen while David had been back down on the parking lot pavement with a bullet in his head.

"You were right," Mick said to the vampire. David looked to him slowly, eyebrows tilted in question. "The night you died. That was pretty freaky."

David snorted and looked away again.

"I'm sorry," Mick said after a pause, sincerity plain in his voice.

The tone made David look back to him with a haunted frown.

"About the way it happened. I'm sorry. It shouldn't have had to go like that," Mick continued.

David's frown became an angry scowl. "I don't need your pity," he growled.

Despite his tone, Mick noted that David hadn't been able to completely erase that haunted look from his face. So Mick only nodded and looked out the front window, not ready to completely turn his back on the vampire, but leaving him his peace. David glared at Mick several seconds longer before he too turned away, looking out the side window at the stars.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-

_Character Profile #3:_

_David_

_Very little is known about David including his true age or his last name. For the last several years at least David has been leader of a gang known as the Lost Boys. This foursome is not simply a group of troublesome teenagers who enjoy terrorizing their town of Santa Carla, California, but are also true creatures of the night. Vampires. David is a man of few words, but a glance at his face reveals that he is not one to be trifled with. He is a strong and intelligent hunter who is used to getting what he wants._

_How David first learned of Mick Hayden is uncertain as is how he found him. It shouldn't even be possible. David, you see, is a product of the 1980's while Michael Hayden and Jack Bauer live a good twenty years later._


	5. Chapter V: The Psychiatrist

_24.mad and Ally Bauer: Thanks for taking the time to review, guys!_

_Disclaimer: See previous umm... disclaimers. There's been no change in my lack of ownership. _

_Note: Interested in a trailer? Go to youtube and look for " 'the Actor's Rift' trailer" done by an alternate persona of mine: SilentShadow1308. Reviews and comments for both are appreciated._

-.-.-.-.-.-.-

_**The Psychiatrist**_

"Ok, so we've got four and a half hours to figure this out and go home," David declared, stalking ahead of the other two with all the authority of a natural leader, despite the fact that his hands were still cuffed in front of him.

"Why? What happens then?" Mick asked.

Beside him Jack snorted and glanced to him with a smirk that looked all too David-like. "Sunrise, of course."

Mick chuckled. "Riiiight."

David looked back at them over his shoulder. "You two are free to go on without me. Let's see how far you get."

"You've been useless!" Mick exclaimed.

"Useless?" David asked incredulously. "I saved your miserable life from that sniper. I took a bullet doing it."

Jack nodded knowingly, but Mick jabbed a finger at him. "Yeah, and you also tried to eat me."

David shrugged. "Fair enough. But you'd have been dead before that if it weren't for me."

"Quiet," Jack ordered. The other two turned to find him in front of the door to Sutherland's semi-remote beach house.

"He's not in there. No one is," David told him.

"How do you know?" the agent asked. David tapped his nose in response and Jack rolled his eyes. "Of course."

"Wait," Mick said suddenly, approaching the door. He reached out tentatively and took hold of it.

"Do you 'see' anything?" Jack asked, the skepticism clear in his tone.

Mickey ignored it, but shook his head. "No. But I suppose that's a good thing."

"Why?"

"Because more often than not I see people's deaths, their murders" Mick responded.

"Creepy," the vampire replied.

"It's not always a death though. I saw through Sutherland's eyes once, but nothing useful."

"You saw through his eyes?" David asked. Mick nodded and David tipped his head to the side thoughtfully. "So... when you see people's deaths... do you see through the eyes of the dying or the eyes of the killer."

Mick didn't answer and instead turned to Jack. Jack, though he was listening, was not watching him. He was looking around the beach house for another way in. Scanning the area like he always did.

"Maybe we'll find something inside," Mick replied.

"We'd better. We're running out of leads," Jack responded.

Mick began to pace, then paused as he looked up. "Don't these homes have windows on the roof? And don't they tend to be unlocked?"

Jack followed his gaze then nodded and turned away. They needed to find a way up there. Mick spotted the drainage pipe first and started for it but the slightly softer voice of David caught his attention.

"I'll look." The voice came from almost directly above him and Mick jumped and looked up in surprise to see David on the roof.

"Christ," he muttered under his breath. He didn't want to know how the vampire had gotten up there.

A few minutes later, David was letting him and Jack in the front door.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-

They pushed play, but it appeared to be blank. It was near the end of the tape. So they hit rewind and took it back to the beginning. David lounged on the sofa, Mick sat in an armchair, and Jack crouched off to the side of the tv, turning up the volume as the video finally began.

At first there was static, and then a room appeared as well as someone's chest. Whoever it was was apparently fiddling up close with the camera. When finally satisfied, he stepped away with a grunt, his limp obvious. The man was hunched though he appeared somewhat less than middle-aged and his posture revealed him as fairly timid. He wore small round glasses that didn't hide how the skin had been somehow damaged and had healed thicker, covering part of one eye. His demeanor was so alien and his manner of speech so different that it took them all several seconds to realize that they were looking at yet another doppelganger.

"Hello, Mr. Sutherland. My name- is Dr. Daniel Paul Schreber," the figure said in a halting and somewhat whispered voice. "I have some- information- you may be -interested in. It is about- the others."

Collectively the trio sat forward. With that last phrase the shy man had captured their attention.

"Mr. Sutherland, I am not sure what- part you play in all of this- or- how much you know already, but..." Schreber paused and gave a quiet chuckle, seemingly amused with his inability to put his thoughts into words. "There are more of us. Doppelgangers that is. Somehow we all know- you- and we are all- looking for you. But... Just be careful. Some of them- may be- dangerous. But I believe most, like myself, just want answers, Mr. Sutherland. I just hope, for all our sakes... you have them."

-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Mick groaned and opened his eyes slowly. He was on the floor, the carpet making his nose itch. He hurt everywhere and it took him a second to recall what had happened. Then his eyes widened and he sat up abruptly, hissing sharply when his shoulder screamed in protest.

David had escaped, broken the cuff chain without them noticing then taken them by surprise. He'd thrown Jack into a wall then charged Mick with a speed the man would not have believed. After a valiant struggle Mick was beaten into unconsciousness.

He groaned again through gritted teeth, touching a bruise that was already forming and looked to where Jack had been thrown. He wasn't there.

"Bauer?" he called, slowly standing. That's when he saw a boot laying behind the couch. With a growing dread he limped around the side of the couch to see his counterpart face down on the floor, sprawled in an awkward position. "Jack!"

Mick knelt down and reached out to turn him over, pausing only a moment in worry of what visions of death he might see, but as he grabbed Jack's shoulder and turned him over the psychic saw nothing and a moan let him know for certain that the man was alive.

Jack's eyes fluttered open and a hand went to his head. He did a double take when he saw Mick over him before recalling the situation.

"Where's David?" Jack growled.

"Not here. He's gone."

"Dammit."

"Why didn't he kill us? He certainly could have," Mick said.

Jack looked at him. "I don't know..."

"We should go after him," Mick said, standing and trying to shake the pain from his shoulder.

"I agree," Jack said, using the couch to help him up. "He's probably headed for Schreber. The man gave his address on that tape."

The video had been only about 5 minutes long and hadn't been terribly helpful. The fifth doppelganger, Dr. Schreber, had apparently made the tape with the intention of alerting Sutherland to the existence of the look alikes. Jack hadn't even considered that Sutherland didn't know. He had to know. If he didn't, who would? And could Jack live the rest of his life normally with all these doppelgangers about?

Well he had done well enough this far into his life without them interfering... hadn't he?

Mick shook his head. "He might have gone after Sutherland. He was looking around the room before he turned on us. Maybe he found something. A location."

Jack spotted his gun on the floor by the wall he'd been thrown into. There was a good size dent in the plaster now, they noted.

"We don't have time," Jack said gruffly as he holstered the weapon.

"And we can't afford to be wrong," Mick countered. "I don't know what his true intentions are, but we shouldn't trust him to be by himself. He's a killer, Jack."

Jack nodded. "Alright, you stay here and look for clues about Sutherland's current location or where David might have gone. I'll go to the address Schreber gave and see what he knows. When you find something, there's a spare car in the garage and keys on the hook."

Mick nodded. He'd seen them earlier. Jack scribbled something down on a piece of paper.

"Call my cell in a minute, that'll put your number in the memory. I'll let you know what I find."

"Right," Mick replied taking the paper. "Good luck."

"You too."

And with that, the pair separated.

_-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-_

_-.-.-.-.-.-.-_

_Author: I hope this chapter didn't turn out too choppy...Sorry about taking longer to update lately. I know some of you are waiting anxiously. ( I love you guys!) The truth is I've been both busy and getting closer to where I've stopped writing. I've got the next few chapters pretty much set, but I want to make sure I have the next ones ready for ya'! This and the next chapter I think are pretty short so I'll be posting the next one or so more quickly. Though reviews are always good incentives to put 'em up quicker... ;p_


	6. Chapter VI: The Wild Card

_24.mad and Ally Bauer: As always, thank you guys for taking the time to share your thoughts with me! _

_Disclaimer: See previous umm... disclaimers. There's been no change in my lack of ownership_

**_The Wild Card_**

Jack stood before the little man, who really wasn't little at all. He was Jack's height, just as all the other look-alikes were. This one just came off as such because he was hunched over and had yet to look Jack in the eye. Not that Jack had given him much of a chance really. He'd entered quickly and somewhat noisily, his gun held out in front of him, not sure what to expect. But the two were alone and the other man unarmed.

Now, seeing this cowering and meek person before him, cringing at the gun in his hands, Jack found his hard visage softening as he lowered his gun. The whole scene was a little eerie. This man looked pretty much exactly like him with the only real differences being that this man looked a few years younger and had more notable scars, physical and not, from some past incident. The way the man cringed and the way he limped and even the way he spoke gave Jack the impression that he'd been tortured. To see anyone like that was one thing and that was bad enough. To see 'yourself' like that...

"Dr. Daniel Schreber, I presume?" Jack questioned, switching his train of thought instantly back to the matter at hand.

Realizing that his death was not imminent, the other man finally lifted his gaze and when he saw Jack's face, his eyes brightened intelligently and curiously.

"Yes," Schreber confirmed in that voice more whispered than Jack's own. "And... which one are you?"

"My name's Jack Bauer," Jack replied as Schreber looked him up and down. It seemed he had recovered from his initial fright and was now filled more with curiosity than anything. "I'm looking for-"

"Mr. Sutherland, yes?"

"I'm looking for answers, doctor. Sutherland seems to be the key. But you also seem to know what's going on."

The doctor gave a short, timid laugh. "Nothing is- as it seems, Jack."

"Tell me what you know," Jack ordered, not in the mood for semantics.

"You're here, so- you must- have- seen the tape," Schreber said in that stalling way of speech. Jack nodded and the doctor continued. "That- I'm afraid- is all I really know. There are- several of us, from- different places, all with different- identities and histories, but – we all search for one man."

"Do you know do we all look alike?" Jack asked, not willing to accept that there was nothing more to be learned here.

At this, Schreber gave a small smile and turned to limp towards an adjacent room, motioning for Jack to follow.

"I-have a theory on that," he said, easing into a chair before a table covered in papers and several scattered pictures. He picked up a few and looked through them slowly. He identified a few as photos of him around his motel room. A couple more were of Mick and David as the pair walked down some street in the night. David seemed to be looking off intently in one direction while Mick was looking in the other as if searching for someone. There was one of another look alike that Jack didn't recognize. His hair didn't quite match Mick and Jack would never wear anything like the cowboy clothes the man wore casually in the image.

"You've been spying on us?" Jack asked, turning a stern stare on the doctor.

Schreber met Jack's eyes unsteadily, rubbing his hands together nervously. "I did not mean - any harm. I- am trying to find- the others and- Mr. Sutherland as well. I wanted to reveal myself to you and the- others... but Arthur, the man who took these photos- said that- it would not be safe. None of us are- the same. You could have- been dangerous. I haven't known him long, but I am a good judge of- of character. I trust his opinion, but ... I wanted to meet Sutherland. I- made the tape for Sutherland only. I left it at that house- as no one was there- to-get in contact with him. I didn't plan for- anyone else- to see it, but I suppose I should-have anticipated someone else searching for him would find it- as well. Heh. Arthur was not pleased to hear I'd done it."

"Arthur? Arthur Banks?" Jack questioned angrily.

"You have met?"

"He was spying on Sutherland's home. His main home," Jack replied. "Except he was taking shots _at us_ rather than _of us_."

This seemed to surprise Schreber and he stared hard at Jack before looking away quickly, shaking his head and shuffling papers.

"It must have been- a mistake. He would not have- have fired at you if he had known- who you were."

"It shouldn't have mattered who we were. You don't just shoot at people," Jack growled, leaning in close and grabbing Schreber by the shoulder.

Schreber met his glare unsteadily but managed a nervous smile. "Do you- follow that philosophy, Jack?"

Jack stared at him a moment longer, wondering if Schreber actually knew something about him or if he was just judging his lifestyle based on what he'd already seen. Then he roughly let him go. He didn't have to justify himself or his actions to this doppelganger. There was nothing that needed justifying.

Schreber kept watching. "You should not- be so quick to judge. You do not- understand."

"What's your theory, doctor?" Jack asked, ready to get back on topic.

Schreber took a breath and lay out a few papers on top of everything else. The papers were scribbled on with a messy hand, but from what Jack could make out, they were mainly several diagrams of names linked to circumstances, physical characteristics, and places.

"How did you- come to know –about- Mr. Sutherland?" Schreber asked.

Jack looked at Schreber then back down to the table. "I'm not sure. It's been nearly a week now, I think."

"But how?"

"I don't know. I just ... I must have remembered the name from somewhere. What's it matter?"

"Everything matters, Jack. I have only met- one other- like us until now. Arthur- Banks. Neither of us knows- how- we knew about Kiefer Sutherland- either. We just knew. The fact that we- cannot remember, that despite having no reason- to investigate into the matter we felt compelled to do so, tells us something."

"Like what?"

Schreber held up a finger. "What did you do when you... learned- about Mr. Sutherland?"

"Nothing at first. Then I started looking into him. I thought he was important somehow."

"But you did not know- why."

"No."

"It was the same- for us. And- we ended up- here."

Jack crossed his arms.

The doctor took off his small round glasses and started to clean them with the white cotton shirt beneath his brown suit jacket. "This is why I believe in – my theory. About why- all of us look so similar to- each other and why we are all being drawn- to him."

"And that theory is what?" Jack pushed, irritation clear in his tone.

Schreber put the glasses back on, looping the ends behind his ears before looking up at the man at his side. "Think about it. None of us knew that there were others- like us who- searched for Mr. Sutherland. That never came into the equation. We only-knew- that we wanted to find that one man... It's not that we- look like _each other_, Jack. We all look- like _him_."

-.-.-.-.-.-.-

_Character Profile #4:_

_Dr. Daniel Paul Schreber_

_Much about Schreber is unknown, even to himself. He's a timid man, very much a contrast to Jack, Mick, and David. Several years ago he was kidnapped from wherever he was and taken to a place he came to call the Dark City. The city was composed entirely of people who had, like him, been kidnapped from their lives for the experiments of his captors. Their purpose, he found quickly, was to discover what humans called the 'soul', hoping it would help them save their race. Since these people, the 'Strangers', believed they could uncover the human soul through studying humans' memories, they needed Schreber, an expert of the human mind. After being tortured into submission, Schreber agreed to help them. Though he was allowed to keep what it was that made him a good psychiatrist, he was made to delete everything else and his past was lost to him forever._

_How Schreber found his way to Los Angeles from that place is unclear even to him. He has been there several days and has placed upon himself the task of finding out about others who, like him, have been brought to this strange place and why they are all connected to this one man._


	7. Chap VII: 4 Heads Are Better Than One

_Ally Bauer: Sick of you? Never! Thanks for the review!_

_24.mad: Heheh, thanks! I hope I'm doing ok keeping them in character. _

_Disclaimer: See previous umm... disclaimers. There's been no change in my lack of ownership. _

_Continued Note: Interested in a trailer? Go to youtube and look for " 'The Actor's Rift' by SilentShadow1308", an alternate persona of mine. _

_Continued reviews and comments for both are appreciated_.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

_**Four Heads Are Better Than One **_

"_It's not that we- look like _each other_, Jack. We all look- like _him_."_

Jack was trying to wrap his mind around the concept when suddenly Jack heard a door open behind them. He spun around quickly, hand on his gun, half expecting to see David charge into the room, fangs bared. Instead it was another look alike with an expensive looking camera across his shoulder and a folder in his hand. He stepped through the doorway, removing a black cotton hat from his head before he spotted Jack.

"Whoa. Another one," the look alike said. Noting the gun on Jack's hip, his eyes narrowed. "He's not bothering you, is he, doc?"

"No," Schreber replied before motioning to Jack. "Arthur, this is- Jack- Bauer."

Arthur Banks looked hard at Jack and gave a small nod. "Nice to meet you," he replied in a flat tone.

"We've met," Jack said, his expression stony. He didn't care if Schreber trusted the man. From what he'd seen, Jack had reason _not_ to trust him.

Banks frowned. "Have we?"

"Yeah. The Sutherland house, a little over an hour and a half ago. You shot at me and two others."

Banks looked at Schreber who was watching him curiously, waiting for an explanation, before looking back to Jack.

"I wasn't at the Sutherland house tonight," he replied.

"No?" Jack asked skeptically. "Then who was it we had tied up in the garage and gave us your name?"

"I don't know, but it wasn't me," Banks declared. "I was out looking for Sutherland and Others all night."

Jack shook his head, disbelievingly.

"Hey, if it was me that shot at you, you'd be dead," Banks replied, his voice low and threatening, but his eyes somewhat haunted.

"Then- someone else knows- who you are," Schreber concluded. "Another- like us."

Banks frowned, tossing the cap to a chair next to him. "Besides you, doc, I haven't spoken to any others like us. Tonight I didn't find any other look alikes at all and for the last hour and a half I've been developing photos in the basement."

"So, you saw no 'others' tonight though you were out all night?"

"Yeah."

"If he says he- did not- fire at you, then he did not," Schreber said with surprising authority. "More importantly there -is someone else out there- who – wants you and- your friends- dead."

Jack stared Banks down a little longer before nodding. He had punched the supposed Banks in the face hard enough to draw blood. There should be a nice bruise by now, but this man had none.

'That means there are at least six leas look alikes,' Jack thought with a frown. 'And that's not even including Sutherland.'

"Where- are your friends- now?" the doctor asked, forcing Jack's attention back on him.

"There were three of us. One turned against us and left. We split up to look for him."

"Why?" Banks asked.

"Because he's dangerous and unpredictable," Jack answered. He turned back to the timid doctor. "Do you know where Sutherland is now?"

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Mick's phone rang once, then again before it was picked up.

"Hello?"

"Hayden, it's Jack. I may have a lead on Sutherland," came Jack Bauer's voice.

"Good, because I've got nothing here," replied the other.

"Meet me at Schreber's building in twenty minutes."

"Got it."

"Be careful, Detective. We think there's someone out there who's trying to kill us."

"Us? Who? Why?"

"'Us' as in everyone who looks like us maybe. The perpetrator seems to be another look alike. We're not clear on why," Jack answered.

"All right. Thanks for the heads up," he replied.

"Right."

With a tap of his thumb, the man Jack had called hung up. His hardened gaze moved downward where the real Mick Hayden was sprawled face down on the wooden floor.

-.-.-.-.-.-

There was a knock at Schreber's door. Gun aimed at head level, Jack opened it a crack. There stood a man in Mick's black suit with Mick's badge hanging from his belt. He saw Jack and had enough time to raise an eyebrow before Jack reached out, grabbed him by the front of his collared shirt, and pulled him inside, slamming him against the back of the door in one quick move.

"Woah, Jack! What-"

"Who are you?" Jack demanded fiercely.

"Detective Michael Hayden," Mick answered quickly, hands raised at his sides. He looked back and forth from Jack's gun to Jack's hard blue eyes, to the hand that still gripped his shirt.

"Who's David?" Jack questioned.

Mick glanced over Jack's shoulder to where Schreber and Banks watched quietly before looking back to Jack.

"The kid," he said, and then added more quietly, "And he's a bit... different."

Jack held him a second longer before letting him go.

"Sorry about that. Had to be sure it was you."

Mick nodded and straightened his shirt and tie before looking back at the other two.

"You must be Dr. Schreber," Mick said and the man who hung slightly back nodded. Mick looked to the other expectantly who paused before relaying his own name.

"Arthur Banks. And no, we haven't met," he added as Mick opened his mouth.

"Apparently the one we had before, the one that escaped, was not Banks," Jack informed as he tucked away his weapon.

"It was the... to-be-killer?" Mick asked.

Banks nodded and Jack answered with a 'yes'.

Mick shook his head and gave a wry smile. "Why can't anything ever be easy?"

-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Banks rolled out a map of Los Angeles and he and Jack pinned it to the wall. Mick was shuffling through Schreber's papers. Schreber stood off to the side, his squinted attention on Mick, his brow furrowed in thought. Banks' voice-no Jack's- caused him to look away.

"So... We need to find Sutherland. What do we know?"

"It seems he won't be home for a while," Mick replied. Banks looked at him questioningly.

"Empty clothes drawers, no perishable foods, that sort of thing," Mick elaborated.

Jack put a pin in the map at Sutherland's home and another at the beach house location. "Doesn't look like he'll be back there either. But he may have been there recently. Schreber's tape was there and someone watched it."

"But not necessarily him," Mick added without looking up from a photograph.

There was a pause.

"That office... That wasn't where Sutherland worked. Where does he work?" Jack asked.

Mick and Jack looked to Banks who shook his head. "I don't know. I only saw him a few times. That's when I took these photos."

Banks tossed the manilla folder he'd brought in earlier onto Schreber's desk with the other notes. Jack picked it up and started looking through them. The glossy photos all seemed to be of Jack or of Banks at first glance, but the man's style upon closer observation was slightly different and his face also seemed softer than either of their's or even Mick's

"I lost him soon after," Banks continued. "Whatever he is, he seems to always have a crowd. At least when I see him. It's hard to get close."

"Shouldn't it be hard to lose him then, as well?" Mick questioned.

Banks looked at him sternly. "You'd think so."

"Where did you see him?" Jack asked.

Schreber watched them all as he rubbed his hands idly together, taking in all that they said and extrapolating the personalities and quirks that made each one of them unique. He himself was a meek man. He wasn't a fighter, never had been as far as he could tell, but, of course, he couldn't be sure. Not since the Strangers. He could often come across as cowardly, but he always had the best intentions at heart. Or so he liked to think.

And these three... What interesting people! And for them to all look so much like himself... it was as if, maybe he were studying himself. Things he could have become had the situation been right, or wrong. Or perhaps, in a more philosophical view, he was studying different aspects of his current self.

And yet they were not. They were completely different people in the same way everyone else he'd ever observed had been. A small smile crossed his face at the fantastical nature of these other human beings.

First there was Banks. He knew what Banks did for a living. The man had admitted it to him after a time and Schreber found it intriguing if not saddening. It just added complexity to the man. He was always amazed to see what people did in order to survive. It didn't make Banks a 'nice' man by any means. He was not, though he'd never risen hand nor voice to the doctor. He had a hard exterior brought on by years of, well, 'work', and an inner wall of well-suppressed anger from some long ago betrayal. Inside all that was a normal man longing for a normal life.

"Wait, can't we just go back to the office?" Mick asked.

Jack frowned at him. "We broke in there last time. It would be better not to go back there if we don't have to. We should try to figure out a different way of finding him."

The other two Schreber hadn't known long at all, but already he could make several conclusions. Bauer was tough, more so than Banks, he thought. His 'shell' much more rigid and protective of whatever feelings the man possessed. The way the man wielded his weapon and the look in his eyes when he did it was truly frightening. He looked like a hardened killer then and yet now as he spoke with the others, though he was serious, there was emotion in his eyes, almost as if he were able to switch back and forth from killer to human being. Of course, just an hour might not be enough to properly judge all this, but he seemed trustworthy and honorable enough at least.

And then there was Mick Hayden. A detective. He seemed the least hardened of the three. Which wasn't saying much. Schreber crossed his arms as he went back to studying that one. It was too early to tell much about him as he had arrived not 15 minutes earlier, but there was something strange about him. He seemed intuitive, but, it seemed to the doctor, intuitive almost to the point of knowing the facts before hand. As if he knew more than he had yet admitted.

"So what's in this area?" Banks questioned.

Schreber turned his attention back to the map to see a good dozen pins stuck in at various spots. If you looked at it in just the right way it seemed that they made some sort of enclosed shape around several blocks.

"The map doesn't say?" Jack asked.

Banks shook his head. Jack seemed to be trying to recall himself, but didn't remember. Mick was looking at the map with knowing eyes, at least until the others shifted their gaze closer to him and the look vanished. Schreber frowned, but stayed quiet.

"Well, we should go check it out," Mick said.

"What, now?" Banks asked. "It's the middle of the night."

"Yes now," Jack said sternly. "Our first priority is making sure the man's all right. David is looking for him."

"David? This mysterious kid you keep talking about?" Banks asked. "What's so dangerous about him?"

"He's a killer," was all Jack said.

Mick frowned angrily and nodded, rubbing one of several light bruises on his face. "If he kills Sutherland, we'll never be able to ask him what the hell's going on here."

"Why would he kill Sutherland?" Banks asked.

"Why does anyone do what they do?" Mick asked with an undertone that Schreber noted but did not understand.

"Look, there's a chance that he could be in danger, so we might as well go now," Jack said.

Banks sighed and he turned to Schreber. "Fine. Let's go."

Schreber's eyes widened. "I am not going."

"Why not?" Banks asked curiously.

"I – I do not want to leave- my work. I can not leave- it here."

"Then take it," Jack said impatiently.

"I can not- take it all. I am staying- here."

Jack looked about to argue, but Banks waved a hand. "Let him stay."

"He can't stay here alone," Mick said quickly.

Jack looked annoyed. "Fine, you stay. Let's go-"

"No! I have something- I would like to- discuss with you, Jack," Schreber said hurriedly, avoiding Mick's gaze. A theory was forming in his mind and he needed to confirm it quickly.

Banks swung the camera bag over his shoulder and motioned for Mick to follow. "We'll go on ahead and check the place out. It is a few square blocks. It'll take some time."

Jack frowned and looked about to argue as he was used to being in the field rather than left behind, but something in Schreber's eye caught his attention.

"All right, fine," Jack replied.

"Be careful," Schreber said as the other two left. When the door closed behind them and he heard their footsteps fade, the doctor turned his attention quickly back to Jack. Schreber looked up at him from his somewhat hunched stance. "I am not sure what- company- you keep, Jack, but are you sure- that _that_ man, Michael Hayden, is who- you think he is?"

Jack stared hard at the man before him, searching him and at the same time considering the question. A rap on the door interrupted any answer. Jack dropped immediately into his cautious mode and motioned for the doctor to stand back. Jack took a few steps towards the front door and Schreber hid behind the doorway of the second room, peering out nervously.

Jack's hand had just touched the handle when suddenly the entire door exploded inward, throwing Jack away like he was nothing but a leaf in the wind to land hard on his back across from Schreber. The doctor, mouth agape turned his shuddering attention back to the front door where a young man with a demonic face stood, laughing menacingly. He took a few strides into Schreber's apartment, pointing an angry finger at Jack who lay sprawled on the floor, momentarily stunned and gun lost from his hold.

"All right, _Jack_," the young bleach-blond growled. "Now it's my turn."

He picked up a piece of the splintered door in his hands, holding it like a knife. Jack, with only that second to reorient himself was still getting to his feet when David lunged in hard and fast.

-.-.-.-


	8. Chap VIII: Final Ruling

_24.mad: Very glad you are still enjoying! Sorry I took so long with the update!_

_Disclaimer: See previous umm... disclaimers. There's been no change in my lack of ownership. _

_Continued reviews are appreciated_.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

_**Final Ruling**_

"So, what do you make of all this?" Mick asked Banks as they walked down the street, the car left parked on a street corner so they wouldn't make their approach so visible. "I mean... there's how many of us now? And it seems like more just keep popping up! It all seems pretty absurd. Unbelievable, except that here we are..."

"_Credo quia absurdum_," Banks replied with a small smile.

"Sorry?"

"'_I believe it because it is absurd'_," Banks translated. "Not quite the same context as the quote, but the words apply."

"Oh, a scholar," Mick said with a wry smile.

"Not really."

"Ivy League?" Mick asked.

Banks glanced at Mick in amusement. "You don't have to go to Harvard to know a bit of Latin."

Mick nodded and shrugged. "True enough."

The pair paused at a corner for a car to pass by, the woman in the passenger seat staring at them as they passed.

"So what do you do, Arthur?"

"It's just Banks," Banks said. They crossed the street and entered a deserted lot. It was quicker than taking the main streets. Less conspicuous as well. "I'm... self employed."

"Do a lot of traveling, then?"

Banks frowned at Mick's inquisitiveness. "Yeah, I suppose."

"I do a decent amount myself," Mick replied, oblivious to Banks's lack of interest. "You get to a certain point, I think, when you start seeing patterns. Patterns in the ways cities and towns operate, patterns in people's habits, and even people's nature."

Banks said nothing. He was kind of wishing Jack had come along instead. He seemed quieter than this guy.

"It's sad what you find," Mick continued. "Lots of people are fakes, searching to be what they're not. Others are cowards, afraid to take a stand for what they believe in. They hurt or kill others instead, because they think they're trapped."

Banks's walk slowed almost imperceptibly.

"But no one is ever truly trapped," Mick went on. "They just choose themselves over others."

There was an almost tangible tension in the air. Banks was on edge. The way Mick was phrasing everything... He wasn't generalizing. He was directing his thoughts directly to him.

Banks spun to Mick suddenly only to be facing the barrel of Mick's gun. He swallowed hard and Mick smiled cruelly.

"_Ab alio expectes, alteri quod feceris_," Mick said threateningly.

"What-?"

"'_Expect from others what you have done to them_'."

"I know what it means," Banks hissed, judging his distance from the man with the gun. He was a good foot out of reach. To far to reach the gun without being shot in the chest first. "I've never done anything to you."

"No. But those who were your victims can no longer speak for themselves. Can they," Mick said rather than asked. "Usually I give people a chance to... amend their ways. But yours is a different story, Arthur. An assassin. One of the best, if not the best, according to the records. You don't like what you do, but you keep doing it. Why?"

Banks set his jaw, but said nothing, the facts spoken aloud by this doppelganger probably for the first time made Banks angry at himself rather than inquisitive as to how Mick had come across the knowledge.

Mick tipped his head to the side, then frowned and without warning fired a round into Banks' leg and the blond cried out in agony. His leg collapsed beneath him and he went down hard to the ground to a half sitting half kneeling position as he clutched at the wound.

"Why?" Mick repeated, coming closer.

"Because I couldn't get out," he said truthfully. Staring up into his face, Banks couldn't help but feel he was being judged by himself. "I didn't get out when I could. I was trapped."

"Trapped," the gunman echoed mockingly.

"Yes!" Banks shouted, his voice cracking.

"You mean you took the coward's way," Mick replied, stalking around the fallen and bleeding man. Banks said nothing, but in his eyes one could see he partly agreed with Mick.

"You continued to kill others just so you wouldn't be killed. Didn't even do it face to face, did you? Killed them from afar. How...spineless."

"You're not Mick Hayden. You are the one who's been hunting the others like us. Who are you?" Banks questioned heatedly. "What gives you the right? What makes you any different from me?"

"I am confronting you about your sins." The gun wielder paused his stride in front of Banks, who clutched his bleeding calf and was breathing hard through anger and pain. "I am carrying out a sentence you chose for yourself."

The stranger crouched, his voice now in a slightly higher tone than it had been as if it were more natural for him. But it was no less threatening. "I'm showing more nerve right now than you ever did."

The bleeding man stared at him a long moment before shifting his gaze away guiltily. The gunman nodded and stood, taking aim with the weapon once more.

"Any final words of wisdom you'd like to impart?" the stranger asked.

Banks gritted his teeth and remained silent. His eye twitched, but his gaze held more resignation than fear. The gunman nodded sternly as if they had come to some sort of an understanding and cocked the pistol.

"Then I hope you can be forgiven in your next life. If you believe in that sort of thing."

And then he pulled the trigger.

-.-.-.-.-.-

David took a step back, wiping a spatter of blood from his face and observing his handiwork. Jack was up against the wall, held there by the broken handcuffs David had driven into the cement by their chains with metal chair legs. He was bleeding from several tears and gashes and turning black and blue in others.

"Does this make me a masochist?" David asked, turning from the man he'd only just begun to torture to face the cowering Dr. Schreber.

It was bad enough that Schreber had to stand by and watch what David did to Jack, but David hadn't even bothered to restrain him. And from the look in Schreber's eyes he knew that it made the man feel that much worse. Daniel Schreber was repulsed by the vampire. Whether he understood what David was or not was irrelevant. He wanted to help Jack Bauer, but couldn't do a thing.

Raising his status from coward to simply powerless in David's eyes was the fact that Schreber had in fact tried to come at him once with a piece of the broken door. A useless attempt. The man hadn't stood a chance and now, unable to leave because David wouldn't let him and unable to help, Schreber could only watch in horror.

"Well, doctor?"

Schreber's gaze went to the floor and he didn't answer. David chuckled portentously and turned his attention back to Jack who was having trouble focusing through the pain.

"You haven't begged for your life yet, Bauer. You are a tough man, I've got to give you credit for that. Probably your... government training, right? Do they teach you how to stand up against torture?"

Jack managed to lock eyes with David. Those eyes showed no fear, which annoyed David to no end. Jack Bauer had damaged his pride. Not a lot, but enough. Now David wanted to rip this man of his defenses and have him cower in a corner of his mind. He wanted him helpless. The vampire frowned and examined the man. There were several things left to be done to him including trading those cuffs for a true crucifixion, but first...

David tipped his head to the side and grinned as he thought of something better.

"How about I teach you a torture your training probably has not prepared you for."

"Please, stop this!" Schreber shouted from the sidelines. "We should be- working together! That man who left here- is- not who he says he is. Arthur is- in danger. We all could be."

One glare from the vampire's cold yellow eyes silenced Schreber. It was as if he'd been physically choked off.

"First things first." David approached Jack, his expression grim.

"Do what you want to me, but let the doctor go," Jack growled.

"What fun would that be?" David questioned.

Suddenly his hand shot out and grabbed Jack by the head and forced it to the side, leaving his neck wide open. It was then that Jack realized what David meant to do and his eyes widened in surprise and disgust.

"You sick son o-" The man's exclamation turned into a scream as David sank his unnaturally sharp teeth viciously into Jack's neck.

Jack cried out in pain and struggled to get his arms free or to move away, but it was no use. He felt his blood flowing out of him and felt David drink it up. It was nauseating, but he quickly felt too weak to even consider throwing up. With every swallow he felt his strength fade. He could still breathe but no matter how much he gasped he couldn't get enough oxygen. The sensation of drowning was overwhelming and it shook him to the bone. Jack was utterly helpless like he'd never been, trapped in his own body which was slowly shutting down. Darkness was surrounding him and an image of his daughter floated in his mind as if to send him off.

And then David was stepping away, licking the blood from his lips. Jack felt some of his strength return as if he'd been let out of a trance, but he still sagged in the restraints, weak and nauseous.

"Jack!" Schreber shouted, voice filled with worry.

But Jack didn't look at him. Breathing hard, grateful that each breath brought with it the air he'd thought he'd never taste again, Jack stared charily at the vampire whose guise was that of a human teenager once again, his expression one of satisfaction.

"Don't worry, you're not going to die," David replied. "Well... not yet anyway."

"David!!"

The familiar voice from behind, but stronger than Schreber's, made the vampire turn quickly. At the sight of the man in the doorway, his smirk widened into a humored grin.

"Kiefer Sutherland. I was wondering when you'd show up."

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Character Profile #5:

Arthur Banks

Ivy League alumni Arthur Banks got involved as a hit man and quickly became the best of the best. He tends to work for Latin American drug cartels, taking out high profile targets. Though these killings often occur in broad daylight, there has yet to be enough evidence compiled against him to put him in jail. Not that he's ever been caught by the authorities to be questioned anyway.

While Banks was... between jobs, he found himself drawn to Los Angeles with a name in his head that wasn't his attached to a face that was. Both plagued and intrigued, Banks soon found himself teamed up with another man who was looking for the look alike. Schreber.


	9. Chapter IX: Let Him Come to You

_24.mad: You rock, mate._ :D

_Disclaimer: See previous umm... disclaimers. There's been no change in my lack of ownership. _

_As always, reviews are appreciated._

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

_**Let Him Come to You**_

All eyes went to the door where a man in blue jeans, a t-shirt, and a light denim jacket stood in the doorway staring angrily at David.

"Step away from him now, David," he ordered.

"Or what, _Mr. Sutherland_?" David questioned mockingly.

"I thought we had a deal," Sutherland growled and David shrugged.

"I had to take care of something first. Besides. _You_ owe _me_. Not the other way around. I'll do what I want to do."

And with that he took turned away from Sutherland and back to Jack with a sadistic smirk. His hand shot out, grabbing Jack by the throat and lifting him up so that the chains were slack.

"David, don't!" Sutherland shouted rushing into the room, but not before David's other hand shot out.

Schreber and Sutherland flinched, but the vampire didn't strike. He instead grabbed one of the metal legs that held the cuffs to the wall and ripped it out. He moved on to the other and did the same before gently releasing Jack.

"I've already got what I wanted from you," David said teasingly.

Despite Jack's battered condition he managed an angry glare back at David until the creature turned away, still grinning like a wolf. Jack would have struck him had he not seen in the vampire's eyes that he was just waiting for an excuse to kill him. For whatever reason, David had decided to play nice, and until Jack had a way to keep David off of him, revenge would have to wait. Instead, he looked to the new man in the room. Sutherland?

The new man was searching Jack with concern, but when he saw the question in Jack's expression he shook his head.

"He's lying. He knows I'm not Sutherland," the new man said, glaring at David who shrugged.

"But wouldn't it have been nice if you were," the vampire replied.

Schreber straightened, observing the newcomer tentatively. "Then... are you- the missing one? Michael Hayden?"

Jack's eyes widened and Mick nodded. " 'Mick', but yeah. Sorry I'm late."

Jack had hardly had time to think about Mick's fate since the doctor had put forth the idea that his identity had been stolen, but in the brief moments he had, he'd imagined the worst. Mick approached him quickly as David moved away to examine the pinned up map in another room.

"Jesus, Jack," he said as he saw the bite on his neck.

"I'm fine," Jack replied, clapping a hand to the bleeding wound.

"You are not- fine," Schreber said, his tone filled with guilt. "I -will find- bandages."

With a glance in the vampire's direction, Schreber moved away. Jack leaned back against the wall, clenching his jaw and trying not to think about what had just happened. Instead he motioned to Mick, cuffs still jingling from his wrists.

"What happened to you?"

The detective shook his head. "Someone snuck up behind me while I searched the beach house. I heard him, but it was too late. He knocked me out and stole my clothes, my badge, my gun, everything. Then to top it all off, the guy strung me up over a cliff side. I woke up to a very chilly sea breeze..."

Schreber came back then and Jack sat, somewhat begrudgingly, in a chair to let the man patch him up.

"I managed to get myself back up topside and headed back to the beach house. Took some of the clothes left behind- just my size, imagine that- and headed here."

"What about this deal with David?" Jack asked.

Mick shook his head. "It's nothing."

"What do you mean 'nothing'?"

"It's not important," Mick said sternly. "What is important is where that imposter ran to."

Jack stared hard at Mick for another moment, trying to read why Mick was being so evasive, until the psychiatrist started to clean the wound on his neck and he winced. He heard a chuckle from the other room and he closed his eyes and grit his teeth to keep his anger in check.

Mick didn't bother. He spun from Jack to glare daggers at David, who was not perturbed in the least.

"You will _not_ try that again. On any of us!" Mick growled.

David said nothing. He didn't need to. The arrogant smirk on his lips said it all: he took orders from no one. When Jack looked at the killer again, he wondered once more what deal Mick had forged with the devil and whether or not it really meant anything for their safety.

And that's when Jack's phone rang. He lifted it tentatively to his ear, his arms sore from his recent torture.

"Bauer," he said.

"Hello, Jack," said a much lighter version of Jack's own voice. "I just wanted you to know: you're next."

Jack paused, registering the threat he'd just heard. "Who is this?"

A click on the other end told him that the stranger had hung up. He looked at the phone and his eyebrows raised at the number that was displayed at the screen.

"What is it?" Schreber asked, backing away with the medical kit in hands.

"I think," Jack replied. "Hayden's imposter picked me as his next target."

" 'Next' target? Who was the last?" Mick questioned.

Jack was silent but he glanced to Schreber. The doctor took a shaky breath and looked away as he figured it out. Most likely, it was the one who was with him last. And if there was a 'next', then the 'last' one must already have been taken care of.

-.-.-.-.-

Jack noted the car Banks and the imposter had taken parked on the side street several blocks from their destination. The man looked around him quickly then regretted it as the sudden movement made him dizzy. He touched a hand to the bandages on his neck and silently cursed the vampire who'd been the reason for them. Then he cursed himself for cursing a creature he still didn't want to believe in.

Fighting through the dizziness Jack started off in the most likely direction Banks and the imposter would have taken. He quickly came upon a deserted lot. As it was pretty much directly across from the area they'd closed off on the map, Jack headed for it. As he reached the opening in the fence he drew his weapon. He took a deep breath, looked around him, slowly this time, then moved in.

He stayed low and close to anything that provided some sort of cover. That's how he found him.

He snuck behind a pile of old metal barrels and wooden crates, using them as if they were trenches in a war zone. But everything was quiet except for the whine of the occasional passing car. He was turning a corner when he heard a pained wheezing sound from ahead. He crouched and looked about him for a trap but all he saw was a pair of black western style boots through the gaps in the wooden crates. They were toe up as if the wearer was seated and they shuddered in time with the breathing.

Jack kept his gun out and snuck around the end of the crate to see Banks sitting with his back up against some old wooden crates. His white shirt and brown coat were drenched in blood and his face was white and scrunched up in pain. His right hand was pressed weakly and futilely over the mortal wound in his chest and his breathing was short and strained. Jack felt his heartbeat quicken with anger and concern he quickly crouched down beside him.

"Banks, can you hear me?"

Banks's eyes opened angrily and he weakly swung a left hook at Jack, which the agent caught easily and lightly.

"It's Jack, Banks," he said sternly. He gently peeled away Banks's hand from his chest and winced before he could stop himself as he saw the wound. He placed one of his own hands over the wound while the other drew out his cell phone. "What happened?"

"Jack." The look-alike's voice came out in a feeble whisper. "He's not Mick."

"Where is he?" he asked as dialed 911. He cursed under his breath as the phone told him there was no service.

"Don't know," Banks replied. "He shot me, then... then left me. Didn't even have the... decency to kill me quickly."

He paused to cough, drops of blood spraying into his hand then his whole body tensed in the resulting agony that rippled through his body.

"He ... thinks he's bringing some... sort of justice on us, Jack." he gasped. "You need to leave. I think it's... it's a setup."

Jacks stared hard at the dying man and the dying man stared back.

"Go! There's nothing you can do... I don't know what's going to happen..." Banks's eyes began to go distant and unfocused and Jack wasn't sure if he was even talking sense anymore. "He knows... knows..."

"He knows what?" Jack asked leaning closer.

Banks blinked slowly then focused his blue eyes on Jack. He reached up and gripped Jack by the collar of his blue-grey hoodie. "He knows _what_ Sutherland is."

Jack's eyes widened in surprise even as Banks's went dark. The assassin's hand slipped and fell only to be caught by Jack and placed ceremoniously across his chest. Jack looked at his double a moment longer, his jaw set and rigid. Then he closed the other man's eyes. He swallowed hard and was about to move away when suddenly a ring came from his phone.

He pulled it out immediately and looked at it a moment in surprise. What happened to 'no service'? He also noted the number before he growled angrily into the phone.

"Where are you?"

"Not far," came the voice of the killer. "I see you found our friend Arthur in time. You took so long I honestly wondered if you were going to make it before he died."

Jack looked back at Banks's still form then stood and scanned the area angrily.

"And you wanted me to see him alive why?"

"I thought he might want to confess some things to you. You and he were similar in some respects, though you believe you do things for a greater purpose than your own survival. Something Arthur Banks never had the pleasure of experiencing."

"You don't know me. And I doubt you knew Banks. Who are you and why are you doing this?"

"Nuh-uh, Jack," The killer taunted. "This is my game, not yours. You are going to do things my way and I am going to be the one asking the questions."

Jack gave a contemptuous chuckle. "That's the second time today someone's told me that. It wasn't true then and it's not true now."

"Oh, really?"

A muffled but high pitched shot sounded in the air and a wooden crate next to Jack exploded, sending splinters everywhere. Jack shielded his face with his arms, even as the wound on his neck screamed for him not to.

"Next time I won't miss," Jack heard the sniper snarl through the speaker.

As the dust and splinters settled, Jack lowered his arms stiffly, but his expression was serious and calm. He put the phone back to his ear.

"I swear to you, you will pay for what you've done tonight," Jack growled.

"Now, Jack, just how do you plan to-" the killer suddenly stopped speaking. There was a silence on the other end and Jack turned towards the unfinished building where the sniper was most likely hiding bearing a knowing frown that expressed something between anger and the pleasure of payback as his plan was set into motion.

-.-.-.-.-.-

Daniel Scheber pushed through the glass doors and paused to look around in a nervous awe. From the outside the ground floor level of the three story building labeled 'Library' had seemed small and dingy. But on the inside...

The doctor removed his hat slowly as he took it all in. It was as if the building was bigger on the inside. Schreber had never seen anything like it to his recollection. At least there wasn't anything quite like it in his city. There were isles upon isles of books that went back as far as the eye could see. Surely there must be information here somewhere. But where to even start? So many questions. So many books, magazines, newspapers... He was just surprised he hadn't thought to seek out a library sooner.

Though Jack had told him to stay put while he, Mick and David went off to find Banks and the imposter, Schreber had found that he couldn't. Maybe he wasn't the bravest soul, but he could still be of use. He had to try anyway. He owed Arthur Banks that. If he had spoken up sooner, maybe Arthur wouldn't have left with the imposter. Maybe his friend would still be alive.

No. He didn't know Arthur was gone. Jack and Mick could still find him in time. And until he heard one way or the other, he would try to maintain a positive outlook while he looked for ways to further their journey for the truth about this man to whom they were all somehow linked. The fact that David, the young killer, had been an integral part of their plan to capture the imposter had not made him feel very comfortable about the idea... But he hadn't been able to change their minds and so he would do what he could in his own way.

The psychiatrist headed to the magazine isles, more to look busy and not attract attention than anything else. That's when, quite by accident, he found his first clue.

His eyes were drawn to the cover of a glossy magazine labeled 'Maxim' where familiar blue eyes looked back at him. The look-alike stood calmly, posing, hands hanging loosely from the pockets of his faded blue-jeans as he gazed at the camera that had taken his picture. He looked very much how Mick had when he'd arrived at Schreber's apartment. Printed at the bottom right of the cover were the words 'Exclusive interview with 24's Kiefer Sutherland. Page 20.' in big yellow letters.

Schreber stared for a moment then placed his fedora on the table at his side and tenderly lifted the magazine from its shelf.

"Page 20," he mumbled as he flipped through the smooth pages. He noted as he went that several pages had been ripped out and with a sinking feeling he knew what he was going to find even before he landed on his targeted page.

"Gone. It's gone."

Schreber frowned as he stared down at the torn stubs in the binding of the magazine that had once been pages 19-28. With a sigh, he flipped the magazine shut and scoured the shelves for another copy. But there was none. He didn't note any other magazines with Sutherland either.

Instead of taking this as a bad omen, Schreber thought of it as a good sign. There had been at least one shred of information here. Why couldn't there be more?

The doctor looked around and spotted a plainly dressed woman with a face lined from too much squinting sitting behind a circular dark-wood desk. Hanging from the ceiling above her was a large black sign with bold light lettering that read "Information Desk". And information was just what he was looking for.

"Excuse me," he said just loud enough to get her attention as he approached her. "I was wondering if- you might have- any other copies of this magazine? Perhaps put away somewhere?"

The woman spared the doctor and the magazine he waved with a sparing glance before looking back at the strange glowing screen she sat before. "We only keep one hard copy of that one around as it's from overseas. But we do keep online copies of most magazines. You can use the library computer to access the catalog and look for it there."

"...How- do I do that?" he asked, never having heard of a library computer, or a 'computer' of any kind for that matter.

The older woman lifted her bored gaze to look hard at Schreber again, as if annoyed that he was still there asking for help. Schreber tried to maintain calm eye contact as he thought Arthur would, though in truth he had the irrational fear that she would somehow see he didn't belong in this place and have him tossed out.

Another all-too-long-moment passed and the woman finally raised a hand and waved to a teenaged boy who was passing by.

"Austin, can you show this gentleman how to use the computers?"

The freckled teen, apparently an employee, nodded and motioned for Schreber to follow. The doctor was led to a long line of glowing screens set atop several tabletops. Austin sat down in a chair off to the side of one screen and motioned for Schreber to take the other. Which he did.

"Um... just to let you know, we're only open for another 20 minutes," the young man said with a yawn.

Schreber nodded. He'd been surprised that the library was open as late as it was, but hadn't wanted to look a gift horse in the mouth. The doctor examined the glowing screen before him. The top of the page was orange with the name of the library scrawled in big bold letters.

"So what is it you're looking for?" Austin asked.

"General information on... something," Schreber replied. "What exactly- can I look up on this contraption?"

The young man looked at him and gave an amused smile. The blond, hunched man beside him was obviously not old enough to be someone's grandpa, but he had certainly sounded like it then.

"Well, on the library's page you can do a keyword search for books and magazines that have the topic you're looking for. It'll list everything the library has. But if you want a wider search I suggest you use Google."

"Google?"

"Google."

Taking Schreber's lack of knowledge in stride, the young man pulled the keyboard (which Schreber examined with interest) closer to him and hit lettered keys to spell 'google. com' in the address bar.

A mostly white page popped up with the word "Google" towards the top in colorful lettering. Schreber quirked an eyebrow curiously and opened his mouth to question his 'guide', but the enthusiastic teenager, happy that for once it seemed he knew more about what was going on than someone else, spoke first.

"Use the mouse," Schreber noted the small device Austin moved about on a small pad, "Click on the search bar, then type in whatever you're searching for." Austin lowered his voice and glanced momentarily over Schreber's shoulder in the direction of the lady at the help desk. "Honestly, if it's information you're lookin' for, I suggest using this search engine rather than the library page. I've always found it easier and faster to use."

Pretty sure he had a decent idea of what Austin was talking about, Schreber nodded.

"Good luck. Remember, you don't have a lot of time before we close," Austin replied. And with that the young man stood, gave Schreber a pat on the shoulder and left.

Schreber thanked the teenager as he went and turned back to the screen. The 'computer'. A black vertical line blinked on that white bar beneath the colorful word 'Google'. He looked down at the keyboard and slowly found the letters he needed and typed them in. 'Kiefer Sutherland'.

And then he waited, but nothing happened. Nothing changed. No information appeared on the screen. What else was he supposed to do? That's when he noticed the thing that resembled a button beneath the bar that read "Google Search". Pursing his lips and remembering the mouse, he used the hand sized device to move the arrow on the screen to hover over the button and clicked.

The "Google" page disappeared and up popped a new page displaying several small pictures of the man in question as well as titles in blue all with the name "Kiefer Sutherland" in there somewhere.

Schreber gave a quiet laugh in surprise and happiness at the find before clicking on the first link that popped up. What exactly he was hoping to find, he wasn't sure. Just something that might explain how or why Sutherland had the power to bring him to this strange city.

"Date of birth... Mini Biography...Trivia? Awards..." Schreber whispered the bold words on the page and scrolled down. "Filmography? Hm."

He'd been about to scroll back up and look at the biography when something under the filmography category caught his attention and his eyes widened.

_There. That _was the connection.


	10. Chapter X: The Deal

_24.mad: He's a smart one, that Doctor. ;p Thanks. _

_Disclaimer: See previous umm... disclaimers. There's been no change in my lack of ownership. _

_As always, reviews are appreciated_.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

**The Deal**

The sniper felt a tap on his shoulder and he froze mid sentence. His right hand was still on the rifle and his left still holding the cell phone to his ear. He could still see Jack through the scope on his weapon, so who was behind him?

The sniper bowed his head as if in surrender as his thumb hung up on the agent outside who was inquiring what was happening. Then he spun around hard and fast, intending to strike the person behind him with the barrel of his rifle before shooting him. Before he could get the unwieldy weapon around, however, a black shadow stepped in close, through the muzzle wide and elbowed him hard in the midsection.

He doubled over as the weapon was ripped from his hold and tossed to the floor at the far wall. The sniper swung a fist out hard but he hit only air. He stumbled forward in surprise only to have something smash into his face from the side. The sniper gripped his face and spun wildly in the direction the fist had come from, but there was nothing.

His breathing quickened and his eyes darted around the gloom for his attacker. He whirled around on instinct, but again there was no one. This didn't make sense! He didn't understand.

Another smack to the head, this one lighter and almost teasingly nearly freaking him out, but he'd hardly had time to react when a vicious kick blew out his knees and he fell hard to the ground with a cry.

A dark laugh floated out from the gloom and from his dazed and grounded position he could just make out a pair of black boots stepping towards him. He looked up to see a young man crouch before him.

"Déjà vu," the bleach-blond teenager said forebodingly. Then he grabbed the sniper roughly by the front of his shirt and lifted him up to face level. "We really must stop meeting like this. At least this time you didn't shoot me."

"David," the sniper hissed, remembering the name from his near torture session with Jack in the garage. He knew enough about the other four, Jack, Mick, Schreber, and Banks, to pass judgment accordingly, though how he knew he would never tell. But David... The sniper wasn't used to being caught off guard. He was the one that knew everything, but David was a mystery. He had no past and no present as far as he could tell. He should have done more research, but he hadn't had time to look into him. David had come into his plans so quickly... He did know, however, that the boy was evil. "You were going to be next."

David snorted, his dangling feather earring swaying slightly from his ear. "Is that so? Doesn't seem so now."

"Wherever you go, I'll remember the kind of person you are. I'll find you, and unless you make amends-"

David dropped him unexpectedly and the sniper almost didn't catch himself in time.

"Excuse me, who's threatening who here?" David questioned mischievously. Then his demeanor became more threatening. "Remember Sutherland's garage? You pretending to be that Banks guy? You shot me. There is no chance I'm going to let you out of here alive. I've already spared one person tonight for that. The deal is I get revenge on one."

"That was self defense. And I missed," the sniper replied anxiously.

"You didn't miss," David told him seriously. "And I'm sick of being shot today."

The sniper stood nervously. The teenager was insane, obviously, but perhaps that only made him more dangerous. As David took a slow predatory step towards him, the sniper found he couldn't suppress the cold shiver that wracked his body. The end was coming and there was nothing he could do about it.

-.-.-.-.-.-

Jack jogged towards the building he was sure that the killer was in, ignoring the pain that shot through him everywhere. Mick should already be heading to the floor that the sniper was on and the sniper... he should be with David. Which was why Jack had to hurry. The plan had been to use Jack as bait until David, who was the quickest and strongest as well as possessing a few superhuman abilities, could locate the sniper and hold him. Jack had serious doubts that David would simply 'hold' him, but Mick (whose job it was to keep David in check) had insisted it was a good plan and that they had no time to argue with the slightest chance that Banks might still be alive. Schreber had been told to stay behind and out of harm's way, which the man had reluctantly agreed to.

Mick would have followed David as fast as humanly possible once the sniper gave away his position by shooting at Jack, though no doubt, David would not make following him easily. If they were going to get anything out of Banks' killer, he and Mick would have to be very quick.

Which is why Jack was surprised to see Mick standing idly just outside the building looking rather unhappy. Jack called out to him as he closed in, not quite ready to waste time stopping.

"What's going on? Did you lose him?" he asked.

Mick's eyes said that wasn't the case. The rest of his body language revealed that he was torn and Jack was forced to come to a stop after all.

"What?" he demanded.

"I'm sorry, Jack," Mick replied.

"About what?" Jack questioned heatedly and suspiciously.

"David was going to kill you both, but I managed to change his mind. It was you or him, Jack. That was the deal," Mick answered remorsefully.

Jack could hardly believe his ears. "What?! How could you do something like that? We need that man alive. We need to know what he knows."

"I'm sorry."

Despite Jack's earlier beating, he found the strength to grab Mickey roughly by his shirt collar and smash him angrily up against the wall. The pair stared at each other with icy blue eyes.

"Why would you believe David would let any of us live? You can't trust him! That's why you were supposed to watch him!"

"I have something that he wants. It was the only way!" Mick shouted back at his furious counterpart.

Jack could see that the man was unhappy with his decision, but that he obviously believed it was the only way out of whatever situation he and David had been in when they had made their deal. Still, Jack could not just let this play out. He needed to question the sniper. He released Mick with an angry sigh and charged into the building. He drew his gun and headed for the stairs as quickly as he was able, leaving Mick to stand dejectedly outside. Somehow, however, Jack already knew that it was too late.

He went up six flights of stairs before he started checking rooms. The sniper couldn't have been any lower and been able to shoot the crate as he had. Jack burst into the umpteenth room and found that this one was not empty. Straight ahead, crouched on the window frame, was David. He looked back at Jack with a devilish grin on his face, familiar despite his glowing yellow eyes and demonic face. Jack glared back at him, but before he could decide if he wanted to shoot him or talk to him, the vampire turned away, black coat flapping in the wind and leapt out into the open air, disappearing down into the night. Jack started towards the window instinctively, until he caught sight of the still figure crumpled against the wall.

The agent approached quickly, weapon drawn, but noted soon the bloody tear in his neck. The federal agent was used to seeing dead people and people tortured until they were hardly recognizable, but this was somehow different. Perhaps it was something David, with his unnatural abilities, had done to him or maybe he was just still out of it from David's torture session, but the sight of the fallen man made his insides churn. It made him feel sick. Ignoring the throb from his own neck wound now more prominent than it had been, he knelt down beside the doppelganger and checked for a pulse. Sure enough, the man was dead.

-.-.-.-.-.-

Mickey Hayden leaned forward, his hands pressed against the cool stone. He gritted his teeth angrily and cursed under his breath. It was times like this he found himself really wishing for a drink or a smoke. Or both.

He'd been pretty bad with that at one point in his life, but his wife had gotten him to give it up. He'd known how excessive his habits had become, but he hadn't cared. Hadn't cared enough to stop anyway. And then he'd met her and things had turned for the better.

But now...

David would be through with the sniper by now. That man's death was his fault. It hadn't been self defense and he hadn't been ordered to do it by his superiors. He had of his own volition stood back and let that murderous monster go up there and kill him. It had seemed the only thing to do at the time... but was the cost too great? Killer or no, Mick wasn't in the business of making deals with the devil, judging the worth of one life over another... Until now anyway. And he didn't like the feeling.

"You're not looking too good, Michael."

Mick jumped at the sound of the voice and spun around to see David standing smugly behind him. The detective quickly forced an air of calm.

"I told you not to call me that," he told the creature.

A small smile pulled at David's pale lips. "Right."

"What happened?" Mick questioned.

"It's done," David replied. "Revenge is a sweet thing. Earlier tonight I would not have believed I'd agree to killing that one instead of Bauer, but I suppose it all turned out fine."

Mick swallowed hard to keep himself from saying what he wanted to. It wasn't fine. None of this was fine.

"So now it's time for your end of the bargain," David declared.

Mickey shook his head. "Not yet."

David's leather gloved hands clenched tightly as he became suddenly angry. "We had a deal."

"And I'll keep my part, but not yet. And if you're thinking of torturing me or anyone else to get it, just forget it. I'm not an idiot, David. This information is the only thing protecting me."

The vampire did not look pleased and that made the unhappy detective feel somewhat better. It was the vision Mick had gotten after David had been shot in the head that the vampire was interested in, the one that had shown the events leading up to his death, or rather David's change into what he was now. The vampire, it seemed, could not remember that night and it bothered him. Bothered him enough to make a deal.

"So if learning what happened that night really interests you, then you'll remember to behave," Mickey added.

David growled, the animalistic sound resonating from deep in his throat and he took a threatening step forward. Mick stood his ground.

"And _you'll_ remember who and what you're dealing with," David hissed. "You have until an hour before dawn. That gives you ... about an hour. You'll tell me what I want to know by then or I might just decide that remembering that night is not as important as the pleasure I'll receive while peeling the flesh from your bones and sucking you dry."

The pair stared hard at each other for another moment, until Mick's eye twitched with a sign of irrepressible fear. David relaxed then and chuckled as he turned to walk away until he recalled something and paused his departure.

"You know the funny thing about all this? Before he died I asked the sniper why he was trying to kill off all us dead ringers and why he hadn't killed you off when he'd had the chance in that beach house," the vampire said. He glanced over his shoulder to lock eyes with Mick. "He said he had no intention of killing all of us. Just those who were beyond redemption. Heh. Of the three of us he said that you, Mick, would have been the one left alone. He said you'd redeemed yourself already."

Mick's eyes widened and a lump rose in his throat. He found he couldn't hold David's stare and he looked away.

"I guess he was mistaken, huh?" David laughed cruelly and turned away. "I'll be around if you want to tell me what I want to know."

Mick hardly heard him nor did he notice as the creature disappeared into the night.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

_Character Profile #6_

_The Sniper_

_Aka "The Caller". Little at all is known about this man, not name, family, nor where he comes from. The Caller has made it his mission in life to deal out justice to those he deems immoral, corrupt, or fake, gathering information on his targets then trapping them in a situation in which their sins are revealed and they must choose whether or not they will change their ways. However, he does not hesitate to take the lives of people he considers evil simply to prove a point._

_Drawn to Los Angeles by the same instinct as the other doppelgangers, the Caller was perhaps one of the first of Sutherland's look alikes to come in search of him and had gained more information about their predicament than the others will ever know._

_-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-_


	11. Chapter XI: No Signal

_24.mad: Yay! You knew the movie:) I was wondering if I'd made him too vague. Then again I was also trying to confuse him with someone else at first, just to mess with you Kiefer fan guys. ;p Thanks, mate!_

_Disclaimer: Still, I own nothing but the plot. All characters are from their respective movies/tv shows which belong to their respective companies. _

_As always, reviews are appreciated_.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

**No Signal**

Jack stepped through the door-less entrance of the unfinished building where the sixth look-alike, the nameless sniper, had just been killed, a scowl on his tanned semi-tanned face. Mick who had been leaning against the wall beside it looked up and straightened. Jack hardly spared him a glance, but reached into his pocket and tossed something to him. The detective fumbled for the thrown thing, and caught it at the last second. He realized what it was even as Jack spoke.

"Your phone. I don't know how much use it'll be," Jack told him, referring to the fact that his phone only seemed to be able to make contact with Mick's. Then he handed him his badge and gun as well and added, "I'm sure you know already, but the imposter is dead."

Mick straightened uncomfortably and just as Jack was about to continue away, Mick spoke. "We have an hour, Jack, to find Sutherland."

The federal agent turned back to look at him. Mick's face was stern, but he seemed somewhat humbled or disgraced, Jack noted. His voice, usually stern and hard, not much different than his own, was quieter and more guilt ridden.

"Why?" was all the agent asked.

"It's David. I have information he wants. Something I saw after you shot him and I touched him to check for a pulse."

"And?"

Mick sighed and glanced away. "Look, Jack, after that... imposter replaced me and I was heading towards Schreber's place and David showed up. Cut me off. He'd been watching you all and your progress on locating Sutherland. He saw I was coming to intercept you all and expose the imposter so he stopped me. Said he didn't want any delays. After you figured out where Sutherland was, he told me he intended to kill you and the imposter for crossing him. Then said he wanted me to tell him what I saw."

"Why would he know you saw something? What would he care?"

Mickey Hayden sighed again, Jack's cynicism towards his 'ability' apparently making him uncomfortable. "Remember when he was handcuffed in the car? After he... 'came back from the dead' and appeared in that office building?"

"Yeah," Jack replied.

"I said something that let him know I'd seen how he died, how he had become whatever freakish horror movie incarnation he is now. Apparently he doesn't remember it, and frankly I don't blame him for forgetting," Mick explained with a shiver of disgust. "But that knowledge is apparently important to him now, so I used it to gain leverage. But it wasn't enough to save both you and the imposter. I couldn't risk him deciding it wasn't worth it and just killing everyone so... so I made a choice."

Jack had several things he wanted to say on the subject, but he held his tongue. This detective had done what he thought was right, the only thing he could think to do. Mick was a good man, Jack believed, and had Jack been in the same situation, could he really say for sure he'd have behaved differently? Probably not. Apparently bullets really didn't stop David, so how could he have risked Mick and the imposter's life, not to mention that of Schreber and Banks. Not when there was still the option of getting the information he'd wanted from Sutherland instead.

Jack knew more than most that sometimes you had to cut deals with the bad guy. But that didn't make it feel any more right.

"I assume you still haven't told him, and that's why we have just one hour?" Jack questioned, his tone somewhat less hostile than it had been.

Mick nodded. "And if I don't tell him after that..." Mick trailed off ominously and Jack got the picture. He sighed.

"All right. Then we'd better hurry."

He started away and checked his phone which once again was saying 'No Signal' even as Mick hurried to walk beside him.

"What about the imposter? What about Banks? ...Is he-?"

"Dead. I got there too late."

The look alikes were silent a moment as it sank in, then Mick spoke up again, somewhat quietly as if out of respect for the dead.

"We can't just walk off and leave them here. We should call the authorities," he said as he checked his phone. "Do you have a signal?"

"No," Jack answered. "You?"

"Nope."

Suddenly Mick's phone rang and the man jumped. "Jesus Christ! I thought-"

"That was me," Jack replied, cutting him off and hanging up with a flick of his finger. "I can call your phone, despite the fact that I have no signal, but I can't call anyone else."

"What does it mean?" the detective questioned, eyeing his phone as if it were a disobedient child.

"I don't know. It's like we're being cut off from the outside world," Jack replied as he looked up at the clear night sky. It was still dark, but dawn was only two hours away now. The agent had already been up for a good 24 hours and he was starting to wish for a cup of coffee. "Come on. The area we enclosed on the map is only a quarter mile from here."

"But what about the bodies?"

"We can't do anything about them now," Jack replied, not unkindly. "Did David give you any impression he'd want to harm Sutherland?"

Mick looked like he wanted to argue about Banks and the sniper, but instead he shook his head and answered the question. "I have no idea with that kid. But even if he doesn't, someone else might. Another one like us."

Jack stifled a groan. How many more versions of himself could there possibly be?

"All right. You can deal with the bodies if you want or you can go back and check on Schreber. I'm going on. I doubt David would harm the doctor, but we don't know what his motives are with Sutherland."

"Agent Bauer, I'm going with you. You need backup. And another set of eyes. That section you zoned off was several blocks long."

"Fine." Jack checked the clip of his handgun. It was still filled to more than half capacity. He had two extra clips in his pockets which he hoped would be enough to last him through the next few hours. "Let's go."

-.-.-.-.-.-

The pair started off at as quick a pace as they could manage and in less than 10 minutes they'd reached the 'quarantined' area of the map. They strode past several smaller buildings, shops and restaurants, any of which they knew could be Sutherland's place of employ. They stopped at one shop, a Starbucks coffee shop, when they decided they had run out of adrenaline to keep them awake and that they might as well see if they could get information out of the people inside.

Jack had got to go in last time, when he'd gone in for groceries they'd ended up forgetting about and Mick declared it was his turn. Jack just wanted to sit down (though he didn't admit it to Mick), as he was again suffering from having a decent amount of blood drained out of him so he didn't argue. He sat on the sidewalk against the building and watched the cars go by, pondering all the different scenarios he could come up with for the next few hours.

Mickey strode into the Starbucks. It was a small but well kept little shop, empty now save the man at the counter and one customer who had the heavyset build and dirty baseball cap look of a truck driver. Mick thought this odd as the street-side shop was hardly a truck-stop. He'd just decided to keep a suspicious eye on the guy when the guy behind the counter surprised him.

"Mr. Kiefer Sutherland!" the tall, brown haired Starbucks employee greeted. Mick jumped and started to look about him before he realized the guy was talking to him. He gave a small smile, still crooked from surprise and the other guy continued. "Back in again are ya'?"

"Again?" Mick questioned before he could catch himself.

"Yeah, this is your second time today! Well..." the green garbed employee checked his watch, "I guess it's technically your first time today now. Man, this shift is the pits."

Mick managed a small half hearted laugh and stepped up to the counter. Had Sutherland really been here? Or had it been one of the look alikes? With no way to be sure he just put the idea aside.

"So what can I get ya', Kiefer?"

Mick ordered two coffees and a bottle of water to make sure his doppelganger got rehydrated.

"To stay or to go?"

Mick looked at him somewhat incredulously (did the man honestly think that all this was for him?). "To go."

"Just makin' sure," he said as he went for the coffee maker. "I guess it's really not that far to get back, eh?"

Mick did a double take. "What?"

"Where you're working? Just a few blocks down? Last time you made it sound like you were living out of your trailer these days. Lucky for you there's a Starbucks just down the street, huh?" he asked with a chuckle, as if it were supposed to be amusing.

Just down the street. They were close. So close. The detective paid, thanked the man, and left with his goods so quickly it didn't even occur to him to remark on how there seemed to be a Starbucks on every corner these days.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-

-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Character List

_Here's a little something I typed up for all you fans of Sutherland. So far, the Characters are from the following:_

_Jack Bauer: 24 [o' course:) _

_David: the Lost Boys_

_Mick Hayden: Eye of the Killer (aka Finding Alice)_

_Arthur Banks: Desert Saints _

_Daniel Schreber: Dark City_

_The Sniper/Imposter/Caller: Phonebooth (in which he was identified as "The Caller")_


	12. Chapter XII: Nighttime Stroll

_24.mad: You'll find out soon! Thanks. :)_

_Minx's Mom: Thanks again for the_ _critique. Yeah, it's hard to get in everything I would like to about the characters._

_L'insomnie: Glad you like it! Cool name by the way._

_Disclaimer: Still, I own nothing but the plot. All characters are from their respective movies/tv shows which belong to their respective companies. _

_As always, reviews are appreciated._

-.-.-.-.-.-

**Nighttime Stroll**

After swallowing half the bottle of water and the entire cup of coffee, which Jack did in the same amount of time it took Mick to drink his own single drink, the pair had found themselves coming upon a huge complex. It definitely filled up a good portion of the area that had been zoned off on the map. They weren't even sure what it was until they came upon a sign.

"Twentieth Century Fox," Mick read. "This is where the television studios are. Or sound stages... Whatever."

"So this is where that is..." Jack said quietly. Why hadn't he been able to remember that this was here? He lived in this city after all. A glance at Mick showed he was thinking the same thing.

The Twentieth Century Fox property covered several square miles and consisted of fenced off and guarded parking lots, sound stages, trailers, and several story tall white buildings. Barbed wire topped the chain link fences and cameras were mounted at all entrances and exits to the complex.

"I don't know why... but I've got a funny feeling he's in there somewhere," Mickey said.

Jack scanned the area, looking left, right, up, and down for the best way into the guarded complex. "This is the only place 'a few blocks down' where there could be trailers. So as long as the Starbucks employee was right, he should be."

-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Schreber hurried down the street with all the haste he could manage. What little money Arthur Banks had left in Schreber's apartment had been used up on a cab to the enclosed area on the map. He had to find Jack and Mickey. Had to tell them what he knew.

Theories of all different credibilities and possibilities of likeliness were formed, considered and discarded from the psychiatrist's mind as nonsensical and impossible. But the one main idea stuck with him through them all...

The man shook his head and clutched his jacket closer around him as what he'd learned at the library swirled through his mind once again. But suddenly this thoughts were interrupted when a small cluster of young adults steered themselves into his way, despite the fact that there was plenty of room on the empty sidewalk for all of them, and he collided with the one in front.

Schreber stumbled back a few steps and examined the group's faces for the first time. He swallowed hard as he realized he didn't like the look of them. They were all boys, no older than their mid 20's and no younger than 17, with dark but rather shabby clothing. It was the mocking and angry sneers on their tired faces and the way their eyes were rather dilated that scared the doctor. There was one of him, six of them, and they appeared somewhat intoxicated. Hoping to diffuse the situation he spoke.

"I am sorry. Excuse me," he said and tried to make his way around them.

"Whoa whoa whoa, man. You can't just go crashing into us like that and expect things to be ok," said the one in front, the one who'd steered the gang in front of him in the first place.

"I did apologize," Schreber said as sternly as he could, but his voice still shook and he didn't meet the leader's eyes.

"An apology don't cut it. I think a little payment is in order," the gang leader declared.

As a group the six took a few steps forward and Schreber took a few steps back. He swallowed hard, cringing away and eyes darting about for some way out of this. He couldn't outrun them, not with the limp he had. All he had were words and that wasn't going to be enough with them. He couldn't believe how empty the street had become. Cars still drove by, but none took notice of the obvious trouble he was in.

"I don't have any money," Schreber told them.

The gang leader pursed his lips and shook his head almost sadly. "That's too bad. Then I guess we'll just have to excise payback from your sorry... hide..."

The young man's threat, which had begun so strong and menacing that the doctor truly began to fear for his life now faded off as something behind Schreber caught his eye. The rest of the gang looked there too and they all seemed suddenly on edge.

Schreber's breathing quickened. Was it rescue or death that waited behind him? The doctor found that he didn't dare turn around to look.

The gang leader opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. Then suddenly, he took a frightened step back. Taking that as a cue, the boys behind him scattered, walking away as quickly as their pride would allow. The leader looked behind Schreber a moment longer and Schreber felt like he was watching one side of a face-off between two wild animals and the gang leader had apparently lost the show of dominance. Still without a word the gang leader took several backing steps away before turning and disappearing hurriedly behind a building.

Which left Schreber alone with the 'dominant beast'. He began to turn slowly only to see a dark shadow standing no less than a foot behind him. He started in surprise, inhaling sharply and jumping away causing the figure to chuckle darkly.

"You!" Schreber exclaimed.

The bloodthirsty David stood behind him, platinum blond mullet wisping around his black clad shoulders in the cool nighttime breeze.

"You're welcome, doctor," the seemingly young man said with amusement.

"Why-aren't you with the detective- and Jack?" he questioned with worry. Perhaps it was death that had stood behind him after all.

"Change of plans," David replied. He looked around casually. "I decided to ... check up on you."

"Are they- alright?"

David's expression turned somewhat reminiscent. "Last I saw."

Schreber hesitated before asking, "And what of Arthur- and the- imposter?"

David rolled his eyes. "Why don't you tell me what it is you've been up to. Weren't you told to stay put? Hidden in your little room, cowering in a corner?"

Schreber found himself bristling. David watched him expressionlessly as he struggled internally with what he wanted to say or do, but in the end Schreber decided to go back to his original subject.

"Did you... kill them?"

The vampire, creature, whatever he was, laughed. "I killed one of them, yes. Banks died without my help."

Schreber felt a sinking feeling in his gut. His friend was gone. Just like that.

David had no sympathy, just watched with a predatory fascination. Trying to ignore that awful feeling of danger that emanated from David, Schreber managed to put a question to him.

"Did you- speak to the imposter?"

"I did," David replied.

"Did you ask him-what he knew? How- he knew about-us?"

David's brow creased as he noted something in Schreber's tone. "No."

When Schreber shook his head as if disappointed in him then turned away without a word, David tilted his head curiously. "But you know how?"

Schreber kept limping away, muttering to himself as some of his previous skeleton theories began to take better shape in his mind, but was stopped only a few steps later when David, quick as lightning, moved to stand before him, blocking his way.

"I didn't know anything about other look alikes before I met Mick and Bauer. They didn't know anyone else looked like them either. How did that imposter know to impersonate your dear dead friend?" David questioned. "Had they met before?"

Momentarily startled to have the young man suddenly before him once again, Schreber took a second to respond.

"No."

"What do you know, doctor?" David asked.

"I – don't really know anything- for certain."

"Stop being so humble, doc," David said almost mockingly. "You seem to have the best grasp on all of this."

Schreber didn't hide the surprise from his face. "I do?"

David frowned at him and just for a second Schreber thought he looked almost like a disappointed child, so young his face seemed behind the almost non-existent stubble. But before the psychiatrist could even be certain it had been there, the look had hardened into a different disappointed look. One to be feared. Quickly and trying hard not to stutter too badly Schreber told him what sort of conclusion the little information and understanding he truly had was leading him.

"But- I think I know- what Sutherland is."

David eyed him curiously and silently for a moment. Then he drew himself up to his full height which somehow seemed to tower over the hunched doctor.

"And what is he? How does he connect to us?"

"I need to- confirm it first. I want to see this place where- Mr. Sutherland- works."

The vampire eyed him stoically for several moments before apparently deciding that that was indeed the best course of action.

"Well then, Doctor, we need to find the other two. I'm sure they're working very hard to find him first. I did give them a time limit after all."

-.-.-.-.-.-

Jack and Mick stood close to the chain link gate that fenced off the side entrance of the complex. As opposed to the official entrance to the complex, this one was unguarded by a living person, but not far away was a tall pole, atop which was mounted a security camera. It was faced away from them for the moment, but that would change any second. Jack had just pried off the access panel from the pole with the knife he'd had on his belt and was now examining the many intricate and multicolored wires inside. He took only a moment and just as the camera began to turn back their way, he cut two wires and switched them. The lock on the gate switched off. Mick watched with a surprised admiration.

"Let's go," Jack said. With a tap on Mick's shoulder he headed for the gate, sliding it open just enough to slip through. By the time the camera had swung back their way, the two were inside the complex.

"So, who did you say you worked for again?" Mick questioned in a low voice, impressed with what Jack had done. It was all very 'secret agent man'.

"Counter Terrorist Unit."

It wasn't the first time Mick had thought about it, but now he spoke his thoughts aloud. "Some sort of secret government agency?"

"Government agency, yes. Hardly secret," Jack replied as they continued to creep forward, to the edge of the long building that sat near the edge of the compound.

"Well, I've never heard of it," Mick told him.

Jack paused his walk to glance back at him in mild surprise. 'Never heard of it?' Suddenly Mick grabbed Jack by his sweatshirt and pulled him back out of the direct line of sight of a strolling security guard. The agent nodded his thanks, waited for the woman to pass, then stepped around the corner.

Suddenly the pair found themselves standing outside what seemed to be a huge trailer park. In the darkness they seemed to go on forever. They were lined up into rows and the blue stripe across their middle gave a first impression that there were a few long monstrous trailers rather than dozens of smaller ones.

One of them was Sutherland's and hopefully, it being so late, they would be able to find him in residence.

"You take that end," Jack ordered quietly, pointing towards the rows on the left, "I'll search the other side. If you find it, call me."

Mick frowned, still apparently not used to being the one taking orders, but he didn't disagree. Splitting up would not only make the search quicker, but if anyone saw Mick or Jack alone, they'd (hopefully) just think it was Sutherland. If they stuck together, it would be far harder to explain.

"Fine."

And with a nod, the pair split up. Jack strode off to the right casually, as if it were perfectly normal for him to be there. He found quickly that it wouldn't be too hard to find his target. Names of the residents were posted on the door to each trailer. He strode quickly by 'Mike Doyle', 'Bill Buchanan,' and other names he didn't recognize. Sutherland had to be around somewhere. He'd gotten to the second row when he halted in front of a name that had no business being there.

On one inside of the window on the door, posted on a piece of white paper, was a name he knew well. "Chloe O'Brian", a somewhat socially inept woman but master of computers who worked with him at CTU. What was her name doing here? There was always the possibility that this name belonged to a different woman, but the coincidence was perhaps a little too great for him to believe. Before he could decide if he wanted to follow up on Chloe or continue the search for Sutherland's trailer, his phone rang.

Instinctively he ducked down into the shadows of an adjacent trailer, melding himself into the darkness as he flipped open his cell phone.

"Bauer."

"Jack, you'd better get over here," came the voice of his doppelganger.

Jack glanced up and down the row he was in. "Did you find it?"

There was a pause on the other end, and past Mick's breathing Jack heard someone call a greeting. Mick responded with a half hearted 'hello' and after a pause where Jack assumed he was making sure the coast was clear, his voice came through whispered and anxious.

"Jack, just get down here. I'm on the second row from the left. There's a trailer here with your name on it."

-.-.-.-.-.-

Jack took longer than he needed to get there. He weaved in and out of the rows of trailers, finishing the job they'd come there to do, but there was no trailer with Sutherland's name on it. More unnerving was that Jack noted a few other trailers with names he recognized, though often he could not place where he'd heard the names before.

When he finally got to the second row from the left he found Mick standing impatiently on the step of the trailer he had mentioned. As soon as Jack was there Mick knocked. Inside, no lights were on, but that was to be expected at the pre-dawn hours. Jack stood just to the side, noting with a frown the name posted on the window. 'Jack Bauer'.

Another knock got no better results so Mick pulled a small object from his jacket's inside pocket that Jack quickly recognized as a lock pick. The man slid it gently into the hole and began to twist the prongs one way, then the other. Jack glanced anxiously around again and turned back just as the formerly locked door swung silently open.

Drawing their weapons, the pair stepped stealthily into the trailer.

-.-.-.-.-.-

It wasn't that hard to make the connection. Kiefer Sutherland had been said to have a trailer in this lot. Jack's name was on the door of one of the trailers. Since Jack had never seen it before his conclusion: Sutherland was impersonating him. The question was 'why?' To what end? Sutherland apparently wasn't using Jack's name to do anything big or else Jack or someone else in CTU would have picked up on it. So what was the point then of using his name if not to gain access to the normally inaccessible? And what did the television studio have to do with any of it? What did their current situation have to do with any of it?

The place was roomy for a trailer, but just like every other place they'd been that night, there was no Sutherland. The place was empty. At Jack's side, Mickey heaved an angry sigh of frustration.

"Jesus Christ, where the hell is this guy?!" he shouted. The detective snatched up a brown and white stuffed item off the couch/bed with the intention of having something to throw against the wall until he recognized what it was. Then his anger changed to humor and he sat wearily down with a chuckle, waving it in the air so Jack could see. "Cute."

Jack rolled his eyes and Mickey placed the brown teddy bear in a sitting position against the pillows and straightened its cream white robe.

"He's been here recently," Jack said, motioning to the kitchen where they'd noted a can of frozen juice, thawed now but still cool enough to prove that it had been taken out earlier that day.

"Just means _someone's_ been here recently."

Jack nodded in begrudging agreement. The agent leaned on the counter that separated the dining/living room from the kitchen and quickly considered their options. In his mind there weren't many and he decided on a plan of attack only a few seconds later.

"You stay here and wait for him to come back. I'm going to go scout the rest of the lot to make sure we didn't miss anything. Then I'll move onto that building at the far end."

Mick looked up at him incredulously. "You want to do all that after what you've been through tonight?"

Jack frowned and crossed his arms. "What do you mean?"

"What do I mean? Jack, you were beaten, tortured, and you had that... that thing sucking the life out of you like a pop drink!"

Mick's expression, filled with such disbelief that Jack still had the energy to go out there and run around caused the CTU agent to break into a smirk. It wasn't the malicious and arrogant one that David used, but one that gave Mick the impression that what he'd just listed off as being particularly devastating events were not, in fact, something that would haunt him for the rest of his days.

David had definitely been an amateur in torture, though it had still hurt like hell, but of the whole ordeal, the bite was the only thing that had truly unnerved Jack. He did not like feeling his life drain out of him, feeling so helpless to do anything about it... But even that he knew he would get over with time.

"Hayden. I'm fine," he replied. Mick looked about to respond, maybe offer that Jack stay and he be the one to go, but a voice floated to them from the door interrupting them.

"Fine?"

Jack and Mick whipped out their weapons and spun towards the entryway. There stood David and Schreber. Schreber held his hat in his hands and looked somewhat sheepish while David was watched Jack calculatingly.

"Fine?" David repeated. "I guess next time I won't go so easy on you."

David's words were aggravated, but Jack noted something else in the tone and the way David examined him. Was it possible the kid had some respect for him?

"What are you doing here, David?" Mick asked. Then in a sarcastic tone he added, "Don't vampires need to be invited before they come into a home?"

David snorted. "Only if you want some of the perks_(1)._ But as none of you live here, your invitations would be useless anyway."

"Have you- found him yet?"

Schreber's timid and breathy voice, so different in tone from the strong ones that had just been speaking, it caught their attention more than if someone had shouted.

"No," Mick and Jack replied in sync.

Schreber nodded and began to move around the trailer as if in search of something.

"Doctor, why did you come? It was safer back at the apartment," Mick told him,

"Do you- know what this- place is?" Schreber asked haltingly.

"It's the trailer lot outside some tv studio," Mick answered.

"Tv," the doctor repeated. His eyes moved dartingly behind his thick glasses as they searched the rooms of the trailer. Outside in the before quiet of night, they could now here the sound of a door slamming and several voices talking far away. "Jack, do you- remember what I told you-when- you first came to me? I told you-my theory."

Jack nodded. "You said that the look alikes don't look like each other. We look like Sutherland."

Schreber nodded while Mick and David exchanged curious looks before remembering to glare angrily at each other and look away. Mick was still not happy with the killing David had made him agree to and he was not likely to forgive him any time soon.

"I believe this – is the case. You see, Mr. Sutherland is-"

"Coming."

Schreber, Jack, and Mick spun to face David who was now standing by an open window looking out, his ear close to the screen.

"A group just exited that building at the end of the lot," the creature reported. "They're splitting up, but I can hear the one they called Kiefer. He's coming this way."

----

footnote

_1 When a vampire is invited into a home, it renders the usual means of detecting or hurting a vampire useless. (ex. Garlic, mirrors, etc)_

_-.-.-.-.-.-.-_

_Sorry for the long wait. I've been trying to get this chapter up for a few days now, but problems with the site prevented me. Hopefully this longish chapter makes up for it. Also, you guys have officially caught up with me. I hope to keep updating weekly or less, but things are getting busier out here, so I apologize if updates take a little longer. _


	13. Chapter XIII: Truth of Existence

_24.mad, JaxsLady, the nameless readers: Had you guys goin', huh? ; p Sorry about the long long wait and thanks so much for your patience. The starting of school a few weeks back and a case of writer's block (despite the fact I know what I want) has kept me away. I rewrote this chapter at least 4 times. Still not sure how pleased I am, but it's better than it was (I hope!)._

_Thank you, 24.mad and JxL for your great reviews! You guys rock! Now stick with me, mates, it's gonna get weird._

_As always reviews are appreciated!_

_-.-.-.-.-.-_

**_Truth of Existence_**

With a loud yawn Kiefer Sutherland strode towards his trailer and his bed. He had been up all night working. It was a night scene so the cast and crew had been up through the wee hours of the morning trying to wrap it up, despite the fact they'd shot most of it indoors.

What made the weariness worse was that he'd been tired before they started. He'd been sleeping, somewhat, but no matter what he always felt tired. The director and several fellow cast members had commented on it, but what could he do? Coffee got him through well enough, but once the caffeine wore off, he felt drained.

He just hoped it wouldn't show up on camera. Filming a show that's supposed to take place over the course of a single day over 10 ½ months left little room for looking different from one episode to another. Then again, after all the stress his character had been through, he supposed he was allowed to look a little worse for wear.

Kiefer sighed. Usually, after work, he liked to go out and have a good time, but tonight (and the last several nights)... well, it was late, he was too tired, and he wanted a good 5 or 6 hours of sleep before he had to go to a meeting.

He passed one of the security guards who patrolled the grounds, deciding that he did not envy her in the least. If his hours were bad, hers were worse. He gave a polite smile and began to pass her by when he noted the confused look on her face.

"Didn't you already get back tonight?" she asked.

Kiefer gave a small laugh. "No, not yet. Have a good night."

He waved and continued on his way through the decently lit isle. All was quiet. Eerily quiet. At least it would be eerie if he were awake enough to care. With the adrenaline from an action filled shoot-out scene and the caffeine from his latest cappuccino now depleted, he found that just keeping his eyes open was no easy task.

That is until he saw a shadow slide along the white trailer side across from his. A shadow that had no business being there in the dead of night with no owner in sight. Kiefer paused, wondering if he had in fact seen anything at all. He stood there for several long moments, eyes darting about until another yawn overcame him and ruined the mood.

Shaking his head, he stepped up to his door. As he fished in his pockets for his keys, he looked around absent-mindedly and that's when he saw the pale young man garbed all in black standing calmly behind him.

Kiefer started in surprise, first at the fact that the space the teenager now occupied had been empty a moment earlier and then again as impossible recognition overcame him. He turned completely to face the apparition- for surely he wasn't real, but before he could speak, the door behind him swung inward, a hand clapped over his mouth and the cold metal barrel of a pistol was pressed to his temple.

It was the latter that froze any reaction he might have had. And then a voice spoke quietly but gruffly in his ear.

"I don't want to hurt you, so just stay quiet."

The voice was his own. As he was pulled backwards into the trailer that he called 'home', his mind grasped for the only semi-logical explanation. The man behind him was his father- for they did sound alike- and this was some kind of practical joke. Then another of his own voice spoke.

"Don't hurt him."

-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Jack pulled the tense man back into the trailer, the gun still pressed to his temple. Jack had no intention of shooting, but he had to make sure the man was quiet. He also didn't want to take any chances. There'd already been one imposter that night and they were going to make sure this wasn't another one. No more lives were going to be lost on account of them not knowing what in the world was going on.

Jack shoved his captive somewhat roughly into a chair in the dining area, then backed away. Although he wanted to take the lead on this, if only to focus this man's possibly dangerous attention away from the others, Schreber had asked to be the one to question him. Since the psychiatrist seemed to have gained some sort of insight since their last meeting, Jack agreed without argument. He motioned to Schreber that it was all right to come a little closer and made eye contact with Mick who stood guard off to the other side.

Schreber stepped forward, his hands clasped nervously in front of him. "Sir, what is your- full name?"

Jack looked back to this new look alike and was surprised to see just how shocked he seemed. The man glanced from Jack to Schreber to Mick then back to Schreber where his stunned gaze remained fixed and his jaw slightly ajar. After several seconds of this stunned staring and noting that Schreber didn't look about to push, Jack decided he would.

"Your name," he demanded.

Now the new man focused on him. What was that in his eyes? He seemed more incredulous than anything, but maybe... was that recognition as well? Perhaps it was nothing more than recognizing his own face. Only one way to find out. Jack had done enough interrogations to know that this man was one the verge of talking.

Jack took a threatening step forward and, just as he'd hoped, the movement snapped the man out of his stupor.

"Kiefer Sutherland," he replied, sounding somewhat automatic.

Jack remained stoic. The response was expected and proved nothing. He waited for the doctor to continue.

"Is- that all?"

With effort the new guy pulled his gaze from Jack back to Schreber. He really did seem lost. Either he was truly clueless or he was a really good actor.

"W-what?"

"Your name. Is that your- full name?" Schreber asked kindly.

The man was breathing heavily until he caught sight of Jack's glare. Then he seemed to force himself to calm down and he shook his head negatively.

"No. It's uh-"

Jack saw Mick glancing his way, probably wondering the same thing he was: if the stranger knew whether or not there was any more to the name. If there was, Jack didn't know, and he was curious how Schreber had come by the knowledge.

"It's Kiefer William Fredrick Dempsey George Rufus Sutherland," the stranger answered in a rush.

Jack blinked. Was he serious? Mick looked to Schreber with a laugh.

"He just made that all up, right?"

"No," Schreber replied, adjusting his glasses. "That is- correct."

"And you know this how?" Jack asked.

"I- will tell you, but there are- some other questions we- can ask- before we are sure this is, in fact, Mr. Sutherland-"

"This is crazy!"

Jack and the others turned back to the man in the chair who seemed suddenly uncomfortable with all the attention back on him again.

"What is going on?" he questioned in a shout.

Jack saw movement from his left and before he could react David was there, bent over the other man with one hand clamped over his face to keep his mouth shut.

"I'd be quiet if I were you," the teenager- or whatever he was- threatened before releasing him roughly.

"Get away from him, David," Mick snapped, whipping out his own weapon from beneath his denim jacket.

"Back off, Mickey," the bleach-blond shot back.

"Do as he says, David," Jack ordered. David turned an incredulous look on him.

"Did I ever give you the impression you were in charge?"

"Can we all just- calm down, please?" Schreber begged from the corner he'd backed away to.

"I've had it with you, creature," Mick sneered.

"Are you saying our deal's off then, psychic man?" David questioned heatedly. "Because I- Where the hell are _you_ going?"

While they had been arguing, the new man had stood and started to make his way around the counter and into the kitchen area. He'd almost made it before David had spotted him. He looked at David's angered face, and then at all of their faces. For a moment everyone was still. Then the newcomer stepped up to Mick, who was now closest to him, then with almost Schreber-like hesitancy clapped Mick on the arm.

When his hand actually collided with Mick's arm he tensed visibly. Clearly he hadn't really thought that would happen.

"Holy sh... You're real."

David snorted. "Of course we're real."

"Mr. Sutherland," Schreber started, taking a few steps closer to the startled man, even as he took a few steps back. "Do you know who we are?"

The man looked them all over once more then gave a small shrug. "I guess so. It's just... I didn't think you would..." he faded off vaguely with a shake of his head.

"If you know, would you mind telling us?" Mick asked.

The man gave a half hearted chuckle, "Why? You don't know?"

"We know," David replied irritably, glancing toward the window. He'd done that several times now, the agent noted.

"And if you are- the man we have been looking for, he would know us- as well. Although he might- associate us with something... else."

Jack and the others glanced towards the psychiatrist. What was he getting at?

"You... came here looking for me?" the man asked, surprised. When Schreber nodded, Sutherland sighed and cast his gaze thoughtfully to the floor.

The longer this went on the more Jack and the other doppelgangers were forced to realize that Sutherland might not have the answers they were looking for. He was too genuinely surprised, too at a loss.

What Jack and the others couldn't know was just how much more shocked Sutherland should have been.

David looked about to speak when suddenly there was a rap on the door. Five heads shot up as a female voice called out.

"Mr. Sutherland, it's security, please open up."

-.-.-.-.-

Kiefer looked back at the others sharply. "What did you do?" he questioned in a hoarse whisper.

"Nothing," Mick answered, just as quietly.

Sutherland ran a hand through his short hair and started looked frantically about. He was glad then that the doppelgangers had earlier closed the blinds. "You have to get out of here," he told them.

"What?" Jack asked in surprise. "We're not going anywhere-"

"If they come in here and find you, who knows what will happen!" Sutherland said in a hiss. He turned away from the windows, too small for them to squeeze through.

"Why would anything happen? We all look alike. So what?" David quipped.

"Anything could happen. You are not supposed to be here- you shouldn't be here. ...And-and," Sutherland looked to Jack. "You. Jack Bauer, right? If they find a gun on you they are within their rights to confiscate it and possibly take you away. No weapons on the premises."

"Same goes for you," Kiefer continued, turning away from Jack who was taken off guard that Sutherland did in fact know him, to look at Mick. "They called you Mickey... and psychic. But that's not what you normally wear is it?"

"...Not really," Mick answered with a surprised laugh.

"...Well... You're looking pretty good," Sutherland replied, a look of recognition and curiosity on his face. "You're a detective then, right? You've got a gun too. And showing identification won't help. It might even make things worse. And as for you two... Look, can you just do as I ask? Please?" Sutherland begged as the knock sounded yet again. He spared a shout as he grabbed a chair. "Coming! Hold on!"

He placed the chair underneath a fire exit, a window that led straight to the roof. "Just climb to the roof and keep quiet."

Schreber was the first to verbally agree. "Yes. We will go. And after- they are gone, we will- discuss how it is that you- connect us."

Sutherland frowned at him as did Jack. The doctor certainly seemed to believe Sutherland knew something. And there was something else, Jack noted as Mick opened the window and began to lift himself up. Schreber seemed almost sad when he looked at Sutherland, but why?

Another knock. "Mr. Sutherland!"

"Sorry! I'm coming!" And with a last glance at his look alikes he hurried to answer the guard.

-.-.-.-.-

_I know I promised quicker updates last time and then this happened, so I'll not promise again. But I do seem to have gotten past that wall/block/whatever. The end is near!_

_PS: Mr. Sutherland, if you're for some reason reading this, I'm sorry! I hope I'm not butchering you too badly! _


	14. Chapter XIV: Anomaly

_24.mad: I can only hope not. Thanks for the review. _

_Weatherfac: Sorry to worry you! ;p _

_Author's note: Been fighting through homework and illness to get this to you! Here's an extra long chapter for your long waiting. Hope you enjoy!  
Oh, PS, my account on youtube as mentioned prior has been deleted. Apparently uploading a music video based on 24 that you make yourself can result in that... So allll my stuff is gone. Very very annoying. Another user has posted the trailer for this fanfic, so hopefully that will be back up there for anyone interested. A few of you have reviewed it, and I thank you much for it! _

_Disclaimer: Still, I own nothing but the plot. All characters are from their respective movies/tv shows which belong to their respective companies. _

_As always, reviews are appreciated._

_-.-.-.-.-.-.-_

_**Anomaly **_

By the time Sutherland got to the door, the knock was sounding again, loud and agitated. He swung it open, forcing himself to appear cool, calm, and collected. The door into the trailer looked first upon a wall creating a narrow hall that moved off to the right. For this reason, the security guard should not be able to see the four doppelgangers that he'd left in the dining room/kitchen area. Even so, he had to fight the nervous urge to look to his side to make sure they were out of sight.

"Can I help you?" He asked politely.

The security guard was the woman he'd spoken to earlier. She appeared calm and stern, but she spoke urgently.

"Mr. Sutherland, are you all right?"

Kiefer frowned. "Yes, fine, thanks. Why?"

"Have you seen or heard anything strange tonight?"

It took his full willpower not to laugh at that, instead answering. "No, nothing," and again adding "Why?"

The woman studied him a moment before responding. "There's been an attack on the premises."

"An attack? What happened?"

"A guard was killed by an intruder. We were ordered to search the area. Are you sure you're alright?"

Kiefer's face must have paled noticeably. All he could think was that somehow, this was the doing of one of those doppelgangers.

"That's awful," he replied finally.

The woman nodded, her gaze moving ground-ward, revealing that she was indeed distraught by the loss of the other guard, but when she looked up a moment later her face showed her resolve.

"I'm sorry, sir," she replied, ever polite, "But I'll need to search your trailer. It's just procedure."

Kiefer felt a jolt shoot through his spine. His eyes widened and a hand flew up to scratch his short cropped hair in an attempt to hide his nervousness.

"Really? That seems like a waste of time, don't you? I'll tell you if I see any intruders, but I should probably... get back inside where it's safe, right?"

"I'm sorry, Mr. Sutherland, we're doing this with everybody. Please let me in or I'll have to assume you're an accomplice," she replied. She looked irritated, he noted, and maybe a little suspicious.

Having run out of reasons for her to go away Kiefer feigned nonchalance and motioned for the guard to follow him inside. The two walked down the hall to the open kitchen/living room.

And found it empty. The chair had even been moved away from the window. He wondered how they'd managed that. The guard was walking around, opening closets and bathroom doors while Sutherland stood awkwardly aloof off to the side.

"So... did anyone see the guard's killer?" he asked finally.

The woman shook her head. "Not so far as we know. No cameras were on the position either."

"That's awful," Sutherland said quietly.

She nodded, finishing up the search in the kitchen.

"All clear," she replied. "I'm sorry to have bothered you."

"No bother," he said, following her to the door. "Be careful."

She gave a small smile. "Thank you."

And then she left. He watched her a moment as she moved on to the next trailer before he closed the door. His hand rested on the handle a moment as a worrying thought built within him. Then in a rush he dashed to the ceiling window. Someone opened it up from the outside and Sutherland called up.

"Hey! Are you sure you didn't see anything? Any of you?" Kiefer called.

Jack, he was pretty sure it was Jack, poked his head back over the hole. "David and Hayden are gone. We're going to meet them the lot."

" Lot? What lot? Wait, where did they go?"

"Didn't say," was the response. Sutherland bristled, feeling that Jack was definitely not telling him something.

"I can't just have you guys wandering around-" he started.

"We can take care of ourselves."

"Hurry!" came Schreber's whispered but urgent voice.

"Ok, look. I think can get us all out unnoticed, but we should find the other ones."

Jack frowned at Sutherland's impersonal tone. "Mr. Sutherland, Mick Hayden can handle it. Especially if there's only one of us around to be mistaken for you. And David... He'll be fine. Now do you know another way out of here or not?"

Kiefer took a breath and looked about him, "Yeah, I think so. Just... try to keep your heads down, huh?"

-.-.-.-.-

_Several Minutes Earlier _

Mick bent back over the hole and reached a hand in for Schreber as the knocking sounded again. With no help from David, and a little from Jack, Mick pulled Schreber up through the window. Jack was next, lifting himself through with only minor difficulty. Jack's tortured muscles screamed and he was almost positive he'd just reopened the tear in his throat. Sutherland had taken his time getting to the door so by the time he answered David was moving the chair away from the rooftop window and looking back up at them. Mick and Jack were bending over to lend a hand, but David shook his head with a soundless chuckle. Almost before they knew what he was doing, he jumped. He leapt straight into the air, grabbing the edge without a sound and in the same fluid movement he pulled himself up and through the opening with such ease he seemed weightless. Jack and Mick backed off as quietly as they could giving the young man room.

Mick and Schreber closed the window silently and Jack, hand pressed on the gauze on his neck, turned to David.

"David, I need you to go scout out the lot where Banks died. Make sure there's no police."

"Why?" David asked in irritation.

"We need a place to go."

"And the murder scene is the only place you can think of?" David questioned sardonically.

"You want this thing to be done before dawn, right?" Jack waited while David's lip curled in annoyance, but the vampire didn't reply. "Just go. We'll meet you there as soon as we can. Hopefully then we can get what we've been looking for."

"Whatever that is," Mick replied quietly.

David sneered. "Fine."

Jack nodded and was turning away when he felt a rush of wind behind him. He glanced behind him and was less surprised than he would have been earlier that night to see that David was gone. Schreber was watching the skies curiously and Jack didn't want to think about what he was seeing. Mick was bent close to the edge of the trailer, listening in on Sutherland's conversation. Not wanting to give them away Jack remained still where he was and motioned for Schreber to do the same.

The conversation was not loud, but Jack heard the jist of it. A guard in the area had been murdered. Great. That was not helpful for their situation. Security would be tightened greatly and quickly if it hadn't been already.

The front door swung shut and Mick crawled silently back to Jack and Schreber.

"Did you hear that? A guard murdered right here," Mick whispered.

Schreber nodded and Jack gave a quiet 'yeah' as he peered through the window. Sutherland, or the man who seemed to be Sutherland, was standing off to the side looking towards the security guard who he couldn't see. He changed the subject slightly as a thought from earlier came back to him.

"Are you sure that this is Kiefer Sutherland, Doctor?" Jack asked. When Schreber paused a moment then nodded confidently Jack asked, "Why? You need more evidence than him knowing that name. If you knew it, someone else could know it too."

"Though it's a hell of a name to remember," Mick put in with an amused smile.

"It- is not just that he knew the name," Schreber whispered. "He knew us, all of us, just by looking. Just from watching- for a couple of minutes. He is Mr. Sutherland."

"He might have been spying on us earlier. Learned who we were that way," Mick put in objectively.

Schreber shook his head. "I do not- believe so. He seemed to have been- occupied- until recently."

Jack nodded and added, "He also didn't look like he expected us here. He seemed too surprised."

The trio was quiet a moment as it sunk in and Jack continued peering over the window hatch periodically. Mick, from his bent over position fidgeted noticeably until finally he spoke.

"Something about this doesn't feel right."

"A lot about this doesn't feel right," Jack replied.

"No- well, yes- but I mean about that murder," Mick said, changing the subject back.

Jack looked up at him, the light coming from the trailer window leaving long shadows on his face, but even through them Mick could tell the look alike was thinking something similar, so he continued.

"I'm going to go check it out. See if I can't get anything from the body."

"What?" Schreber asked, somewhat loudly. Jack and Mick glared at him, but the doctor continued, seeming frightened by the idea of further separation. "You cannot leave."

"If there's been a murder here, this close to Sutherland, he could be in danger. We could be in danger."

Jack nodded to him. "You'll need back-up."

"No," Mick said. "Someone needs to get Schreber and Sutherland out of here and keep them safe."

Jack set his jaw and said nothing. He knew the other man was right.

"All right, go. Try not to be seen, but if you are, say you're Sutherland."

Mick nodded and started sliding towards the edge of the roof.

"Mick."

Mick turned his head.

"We'll need a password this time," Jack said quietly.

Remembering the mix up of last time, Mick nodded. The last thing they needed was yet another killer invading their ranks. The sniper and David were enough.

"Good point."

-.-.-.-.-

Mick found the crime scene with ease. It seemed it was the busiest, and therefore noisiest, spot on the premises. The location seemed to be outside a small storage shed. Security guards were trying to quarantine the area, shielding groundskeepers and other civilians from the seeing the crime scene. The police did not seem to be present yet, which was why Mick thought he could probably make it over there.

People died all the time, the detective knew. Murder, suicide, homicide, he dealt with that almost daily. But this death seemed too much of a coincidence to be ignored. Why here and now had someone so close to Sutherland been killed? He needed to know who'd done it.

Sneaking through the shadows on tip-toe, Mick managed to find the long way around to the back of the storage shed spotting the body on the way. It had been left in the cramped space that the killer had dropped him, though someone had attempted to cover it with a sheet.

"Hey! What happened?" someone called.

Mick peered around the corner of the shed where he saw several onlookers looking his way in horror. More importantly he saw all four guards heading away from him to keep the public back. The immediate view of the dead guard was blocked.

The detective snaked his hand around the shed and found the dead man's hand which had slipped from beneath the sheet. A jar like sticking one's fingers in an electrical socket nearly made him lose his grip and it was all he could do not to make a sound as he witnessed the death of the guard first hand.

-.-.-.-.-.-

"Where- are we going?"

Sutherland looked back at Schreber and Jack with tired eyes from his place in the lead. Deciding that it would be too risky to try and go out through any of the main gates, Sutherland had led them to the grey one-story building in front of the trailers (the same one that Kiefer had exited earlier). At the door, Sutherland produced a key and let them into the building. Now they were stalking as quietly and quickly as they could down the darkened halls, lit only by security lights.

"There's a way out to the street from here. Well, not here directly, but we can get there. This is the best way for a crowd of look-alikes to get leave unseen," Sutherland explained.

"Hardly a crowd," Jack replied somewhat harshly. Sutherland examined him a moment, not slowing down.

"Long day?" he asked finally.

Jack didn't understand what that had to do with anything for a moment, then laughed, surprised at how much stress the simple action released.

"It's been... a very strange night," he replied, as close to an apology as he felt like getting.

Sutherland nodded and looked between Jack and Schreber with a friendly smile, "Tell me about it."

The trio came to a split in the hall and Sutherland paused, his smile now faded as he looked left then straight.

"What is it?" Jack asked, coming to a halt beside Schreber who looked about nervously, as if expecting something to jump out at them.

Sutherland sighed, muttering what sounded like "I think this is the only way."

"Do you know- where we are going?" the psychiatrist asked.

Sutherland avoided their gaze. "I do. I'm just..." He sighed, then motioned for the pair to follow. "Let's just go through quickly."

Sutherland started down the hall once more, bearing left then pausing at a large set of double doors which he unlocked. They pushed open the squeaky door and stepped through into a large black room. The security lights did not extend in very far, but they could tell that the ceiling extended up high and out of view. As for the rest of the room... Just by the echoes of their shoes on the hard floor they knew that this room was large.

Behind them the door swung closed and darkness engulfed them. Jack tensed and reached into his pocket. Sutherland flicked on his lighter, the small orange flame hardly putting a dent in the darkness. With a curse he flipped it shut then opened up his cell phone. It worked a bit better and Jack could see the small smile of triumph on his face.

Jack though, ever prepared, flicked on his small flashlight. Sutherland looked at him, looking somewhat thwarted and (if Jack was reading him right in the shadows) anxious.

"Nice." Sutherland paused. "I'll trade you."

Jack looked back at him a moment then handed him it to him (he did know the way after all). With light in hand, Sutherland strode forward purposefully. Jack noticed that Sutherland kept the light pointed towards the ground. Strange, the agent thought, as the man seemed to pause and squint about him often enough for Jack and Schreber to realize that he didn't know the way enough in this darkness. 'So why doesn't he just lift the flashlight?' Jack wondered suspiciously. The simple act would widen the beam and light up more of the room.

Schreber hung close to the agent's side, also having issues with the dark, but the pair remained silent except for the echoed thudding of their shoes. They past several cubicles that seemed somehow familiar to Jack. He said nothing until, despite the low aim of the beam, Jack saw a tall metal staircase that he recognized. He stopped walking and stared, his eyes wide and haunted. The stairs were grey with a metal rail on either side. It protruded out of a wall on the right, but he could see almost nothing beyond that. Jack might have ignored it had it not been for other parts of this setup that had been familiar. Separately the cubicles, the staircase, and the tiling of the floor could just be a coincidence, a similar set-up to something he was familiar with and for which he'd mistaken in the dark. Putting them all together now along with that name on Sutherland's trailer... It was just too much.

The light moved further ahead and even though his eyes had long adjusted as much as they could to the dark as soon as it was gone he could no longer see the stairs.

The agent stayed where he was, however, and spoke. "Sutherland. Where are we?"

The moving beam of white-yellow light slowed, but did not stop. Jack could see the partial silhouette of Sutherland and Schreber and noted that their guide failed even to glance back at him.

"It doesn't matter, let's just keep going. We're almost through," the man answered.

"It does matter. Where are we?"

Sutherland did turn this time, the light beam remaining low and pointed in the direction they'd been headed rather than back Jack's way. "Jack. Come on, this is hardly the time. Mickey will get out of here before we do at this rate."

Jack shook his head and flipped open his own cell phone. The light was small and of hardly any use, but it was enough to guide him to the stairs.

"Jack." Sutherland's tone implied something between a warning and plea.

Jack ignored him. Once he found the stairs, he used the familiar rail to guide him up more than the phone's minuscule glow.

"Jack! Come on."

There, at the top of the stairs should be a room on the right. A room with glass walls...

"What is it?" came Schreber's voice from the bottom of the staircase.

Jack reached the top, but even with the phone, he couldn't see far. He stepped blindly but boldly to the right, his free hand out and the other pointing the phone's glowing screen before him. After a few steps and coming upon no wall, he found himself relaxing. He had been mistaken; he didn't know this place after all.

But that's when his light caught some shining clear surface. Light reflected off a wall at his right and Jack saw his own shocked expression reflected on the glass.

"Jack?" came Schreber's tentative voice from right behind.

"This is CTU," Jack whispered. "I don't know how, but this is the CTU building..."

Jack turned, expecting Schreber to be as shocked as he, but instead found the doctor nodding.

"I know."

-.-.-.-.-

David stalked down the street towards the lot. He could have flown, he enjoyed flying, but no one would have seen him up in the air and he was itching for a fight.

The vampire was not in a happy mood. It was getting much closer to dawn than he liked. The sky was getting notably brighter, to him anyway. Humans with their senses dulled like butter knives probably didn't see it on account of the heavy cloud cover, but he could see it, smell it, and feel it like an ache deep in his bones. He'd never tried being outside on a cloudy afternoon and he'd rather not if he could help it. There were many things he didn't mind, but getting fried before his time was not one of them.

Screw Bauer and the others- if it came to that, he would just leave, find a place to lay low, and sleep off the day. When night fell he would just find them again. Maybe he'd even kidnap Sutherland and tie him up while he waited out the Sun. That way they wouldn't progress without him and neglect to inform him of whatever they would discover while he slept.

But David wouldn't do that if he could help it. The vampire was many things, and impatient was one of them. If he could sort out his look alikes before dawn, he would do it. And if that meant letting Jack Bauer boss him around a bit longer, fine.

David had to admire the man for his nerve on that point. It wasn't often a human came up against something like himself, as dangerous as himself, and still found the courage to order him around like a subordinate. Even Mick, who'd been with David longest on this odd journey, had known enough to be afraid of him once he'd shown his true colors. Oh, Hayden had guts too, but Bauer... he was fierce about it.

David found himself grinning as he remembered how he had broken through that fierceness back in the psychiatrist's apartment. It had been brief, but he'd done it. David might admire the guy's stamina, but that didn't mean he didn't still want to kill him for his audacity.

A car flew past him, bringing him out of his reverie. He looked up and noticed that he'd arrived at the lot. The vampire scowled.

"And not a single fight for my troubles."

David stepped off the sidewalk and onto the beaten down dirt ground of the lot and he stiffened as a strange feeling coursed through him. He looked around sharply but saw no one, heard no one. Despite the fact that everything looked perfectly normal, David knew that something was wrong.

-.-.-.-.-

"What are you saying?"

Schreber looked back at Jack knowingly.

"I am saying," the psychiatrist continued. "That everything we are –the doppelgangers, that is-, everything that we- know is nothing more than- fictional interpretations of realities that do not exist."

Jack turned to Kiefer and grabbed him roughly. "You're supposed to be the key here. Tell me what's really going on."

He held Kiefer's shirt in a death grip, as if he could strangle a new truth out of it. Kiefer felt bad, but the truth was the truth.

"Daniel's right, Jack," he said looking to Schreber who stood off to the side, watching the scene with concern.

After Jack had found the office with the glass walls and realized that this place was somehow the building in which he worked, Daniel Schreber had, very calmly, informed the agent that neither he nor Jack were real people and that everything they knew and loved all came out of someone's imagination. That Sutherland was in fact the only reason they existed at all. Jack looked as if he would have laughed had Schreber not looked so positively serious. Aggravated and confused beyond words he'd gone back down to have Sutherland explain. Of course, he'd confirmed the doctor's theory, but that had not been what Jack was looking for.

From the sidelines Schreber spoke up.

"Jack, why do you think you- cannot contact anyone you know?" Schreber asked quietly, referring to Jack's misbehaving cell phone. "It is because- there _is_ no one else. That is proof, _this place_ is- proof."

"This is _not_ CTU. This is a sound stage!" Jack growled.

"That's all CTU is! Jack, the only reason I'm connected to you is that I play you," the man replied. "I'm an actor. There's no Chloe, no Kim[1, no anybody, but the actors."

Jack searched Sutherland's face a moment longer before he released him, backing away, his eyes somewhat haunted. Kiefer could only wonder what was going through the look alike's head. He felt like he was breaking down Jack and Schreber's reality with every word, but it had to be said.

"I've played all of you," Sutherland continued. "I was eighteen and towards the beginning of my career when I played the character David in a movie."

"Movie," Jack echoed under his breath.

"You and Mick were from movies as well," he said to Schreber who nodded. "Jack, you're my first television series."

"Congratulations," the agent replied derisively as he leaned back against the far wall. He was quiet for a moment before speaking, a strange chuckle preceding his words. "You know that's all impossible right? We're all here. We're not just figments of your crazy imagination."

Kiefer sighed knowingly and Jack had the feeling the man was going to disagree with him so he was somewhat surprised when he did the opposite.

"No, you're not." Sutherland paused and then only supplemented Jack's surprise by adding "Not anymore."

Suddenly the set's lights flashed on, blinding the trio as a cautious voice came echoing to them from some unseen doorway.

"Hello? Is anyone in here?"

Still half-blinded by the light Kiefer barely saw Jack silently mouth out "Security" and felt more than saw the agent's hand grab him roughly by the collar, dragging him to the back door they'd been so close to all this time. Once through, they were back in darkness and a branching hallway.

"Which way?" Jack whispered, though he really wanted to say "What do you mean 'not anymore?'".

Wiping his watering eyes, Kiefer moved to the lead and Jack let Schreber move to the middle so that he could guard the back. He would save his questions for after they got off the premises.

-.-.-.-.-

Several minutes later the trio was breathing fresh air once again. Jack moved to the point again without a word, deciding they would have to wait until they were further away. They'd made it nearly half-way to the lot when a shout got their attention.

"Jack!"

The trio turned sharply, Jack's hand sliding towards his weapon instinctively and looking about the entire area for danger as Sutherland took a protective step in front of the psychiatrist. They spotted Mick right away, or another doppelganger wearing Mick's clothes again. The man was charging down the street, his breathing haggard and his jacket askew. The trio waited where they were for him to get closer, looking about for passers by. There were a few people on the block, but not a lot. The closest were several shops away, looking like they were opening up for the day, but they seemed oblivious to the quadruplets just down the block. The next closest was a homeless man, or a drunk who'd given up the walk home for the night after being dragged through the dirt. Either way, he was looking their way with annoyance at their noise more than anything.

The running look alike reached the group, wheezing hard.

"What's the codeword?" Jack asked.

The man put his hands on his knees, taking a moment to recover before looking up. " Shell Beach," Mick replied. Jack moved his hand away from his gun.

"Why 'shell beach'?" Sutherland asked.

Jack shrugged. "Ask the doctor. He's the one who came up with it. We wanted a word that wouldn't be something Mick knew that a doppelganger might guess."

Mick, shifting his weight anxiously, continued on his original topic. "I saw the guard's death."

At Jack's side Sutherland tensed, but Jack nodded for him to continue.

"I couldn't tell much of anything at first. I knew it was probable I wouldn't be able to find out much at all since I am the killer in these ... visions. But I saw that his hands were covered by black leather gloves and when he knelt to pick up the body I caught a glimpse of a long black coat."

"That does not- narrow it down- by much," Schreber put in, though he was thinking the same thing as the others.

"True. That could be any number of people, at least until he closed the door of the metallic storage shed."

Jack nodded, catching on. "Did you see his reflection?"

"No. He had no reflection."

-.-.-.-.-

Somehow the fact that David was the killer was not as appalling as maybe it should have been. He was getting used to surprises, but that didn't mean he wasn't any less angry. Jack had turned to Schreber somewhat accusingly as he had been with David before they'd entered the studio lot only to find him shaking his head sadly.

"I didn't know," he said quietly, shakily. "I did not know that is where- he went. David was to find- a way into the lot- without being seen. He left me outside while he- scouted. He came back- only a few minutes later- and said that he had found- a way- inside. I... I didn't know..."

"He must have decided that killing that guard was the quickest way to solve the problem," Mick said.

At some point the foursome had begun walking again during the discussion, but now Sutherland, looking pale, stopped.

"Oh God..."

The others stopped and looked back at him.

"I did this," Sutherland said.

"You didn't kill the man," Mick comforted.

"It's my fault you're here and now... Now a man's dead because I didn't believe..."

"Believe what?" Jack questioned. Sutherland's eyes widened, perhaps realizing that he'd spoken his thoughts aloud, but he didn't answer.

"Believe what, Sutherland?" Mick added, wanting to know what the man was hiding.

The conversation was put on hold when footsteps fell loudly and deliberately behind them.

"Could you four be any slower?" Daivid's aggravated voice came from the direction that they'd been walking and Sutherland's eyes widened in fear. The rest of the group turned to face him angrily. "You do remember you're on a time limit, don't you?"

"You're the one who's on a time limit," Mickey seethed.

"My time limit is your time limit," David replied simply. The bleach-blond took in all of their angry expressions and sighed. "Yes, I killed the guard. Happy? Let's go."

"Why?! What the hell for?" Mick shouted. Jack gripped him by the arm to keep him from advancing.

"Did I not just mention a time limit?" David questioned.

"You-"

"Can we discuss my affinity for killing later? Banks's body is gone."

This stopped them all. Off to the side, Sutherland frowned in thought.

"You mean someone took it?" Jack asked, eyeing David suspiciously. David maintained his stony expression.

"No. It's just gone. Like it was never there."

* * *

[1 Chloe- a friend and coworker. Kim-Jack's daughter. 

**-.-.-.-.-.-.-**

**-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-**

_Author's note: I know I've been threatening the end for a couple chaps now, but now I've a better idea of length. My guess is one maybe two more chapters. Cheers guys! _


	15. Chapter XV: I Think Therefore

_Weatherfac: Thanks for the review :D Hey, now that I think about it, didn't you used to review in the LB section for this story? Trying to confuse me, huh? j/k ;p Hope you continue to be addicted 'til the end. Enjoy the chap!_

_24.mad: Thanks for reviewing, mate. Oh and congrats on being the 24__th__ review for the story! Good number. ;p_

_Disclaimer: Still, I own nothing but the plot. All characters are from their respective movies/tv shows which belong to their respective companies. _

_As always, reviews are appreciated._

_-.-.-.-.-.-.-_

_**I Think Therefore...**_

"Explain this," Jack demanded, pointing to the empty space.

Sutherland, who'd been nearly silent and more than a little pale since learning that David had been the one who'd killed the security guard, took a moment to follow Jack's pointing hand in confusion, not sure what he was supposed to be seeing.

"Arthur Banks died there tonight," Jack elaborated. "Where is he?"

Once the five had been reunited they had continued toward the lot without incident, though discussion had been heated. Schreber had repeated to the others what he'd told Jack (concerning how none of them were real) and Mick and David were just as disbelieving as Jack had been, though unlike Jack they'd both managed to find it amusing. Mickey had actually broken out in a fit of laughter while David's dark chuckle seemed somewhat more restrained. Then the mood shifted and they'd tried to interrogate Sutherland, but had gotten surprisingly little out of him and nothing that Jack hadn't already heard. Finally Jack had told them to hold off on their questions and verbal attacks for the time being.

Now they stood in the lot where two doppelgangers had lost their lives and just as David had said, Banks's body was missing without a trace. Not even a drop of blood had been left behind to prove that a wounded man, let alone a dead man, had ever been there. Schreber had suggested that the police might have taken him, but Mick and Jack shot that down right away. Police wouldn't have disturbed the crime scene.

It was then suggested that some unknown third party had removed Banks and cleaned up the area, but that idea too had been discarded after David pointed out that if someone had cleaned up the area, they had done so with perfection and cleaning materials that left no scent of themselves or the blood that had been there. So the doppelgangers did the only thing they could do.

They turned to Kiefer.

"Where is he?" Jack repeated.

Sutherland looked from face to face, his own expression somewhat bewildered.

"I don't know. How would I know!?" He ran his hands through his short blond hair, trying to sort everything through. "I don't know how this works!"

"You're the one- who brought us to this place," Schreber told him calmly. "You do not- know by what mechanism?"

"I can't even decide if you're real or not! You killed a man so you're physically here somehow, but now you're telling me that when you people die, you disappear. Real people don't do that."

"He didn't disappear," Jack countered, but his voice was low. All evidence was to the contrary, but he couldn't quite get himself to believe that. There had to be something he was missing.

"Do you deny that- you brought us here?" Schreber asked.

"I'm pretty sure we drove here," Mick said with a glance at Jack and David.

"Then how did I get here?" Schreber asked the pair.

Mick quirked an eyebrow at him questioningly. "You didn't drive?"

"He couldn't have," Sutherland declared. "And trust me David, neither could you."

The vampire shrugged. He'd known for a while that he wasn't where, or at least when, he was supposed to be. Just by looking at the cars that drove down the street or the way the night crowd dressed, David knew he was out of place. He'd seen enough science fiction movies in his day to understand that at the very least there was some kind of a time difference between him and the other doppelgangers that stood around him. And if Sutherland had portrayed him when he was a good twenty years younger, well, it made sense really.

He smirked.

'As much sense as everything else,' he thought as Sutherland continued.

"According to the movies, you both come from places that don't exist here. They're fictional."

That too was only semi-surprising to David. Movies made up cities all the time. Why not Santa Carla? Besides, what would that place be without the Lost Boys anyway? From the side Mick shook his head.

"Ok... just to recap: you're saying that we didn't come here from somewhere else. You brought us, who are characters you portrayed in the media, to life?" Mick questioned, just to get it all out in the open.

The look on Sutherland's face was less than convincing. He looked as if he hardly believed it himself!

"Well... I don't know if I'd put it like that. But... yah."

Mick paused for a moment, as did everyone else. Schreber pondered silently. David glanced towards the eastern horizon. Jack looked down to the empty space where he'd watched Arthur Banks die and brooded. Then Mick spoke up again.

"Even if..." the detective paused a moment as if he couldn't believe he was speculating on the topic, "Even if somehow it were possible to bring people to life or whatever, fictional people are only conceived of to a certain point. We'd be half people, with no past, right?"

Mickey looked right at Sutherland then and spoke almost accusingly. "You couldn't possibly have made up everything that we know. I know when and where I was born. I remember elementary school, my first pet, this girl I sat behind in the 10th grade. I remember sinking into a hell hole I didn't care to crawl out of. I remember the day I met my second wife and moving on. You can't possibly know all that, right? Don't those experiences mean something?"

Sutherland's brow had creased in thought, something that Mick said catching his attention, but he didn't respond. Jack and the other look alikes seemed to take heart in Mick's speech. David, who had looked less worried than angry, seemed to be calmed by the words. Jack had his own ideas about what was really going on, but decided to keep them to himself for the moment.

"But if we are- not related in this manner, then why- do we all look alike? There are only minor differences between us that stem from age and experiences," Schreber asked.

"Why are you so eager to denounce your own existence?" Mick questioned angrily.

Schreber met Mick's stern eyes, seeming offended. "I am not eager, Detective Hayden. I am- a scientist. I go where the facts- lead me. You make an interesting point, however, concerning- our pasts. I must admit, having no past of my own, it may have been easier to overlook this point. What I asked was- true curiosity- not meant to- disparage what you said."

Mick's glare softened and after a moment he gave Schreber a light clap on the shoulder. Jack looked to Sutherland who seemed deep in his own thoughts. David too had his eyes on Sutherland and the agent took a step closer to the actor just for safety.

"Taking Michael's very- important point into account, I have- something to add," Schreber continued, taking off his glasses to clean them gently on his shirt. "Though perhaps we- are all still connected to- Mr. Sutherland, he is not- the only reason we exist. And if he is not- the only reason we exist- then- perhaps there _is_ somewhere to go back to."

-.-.-.-.-.-

"The sniper's gone too," Jack observed unhappily.

"And again there's no trace of blood," David agreed, though he hardly looked about the empty room where he'd mercilessly killed the sniper. "And trust me, there should be blood."

Jack scowled, standing from place he'd earlier found the sniper's corpse propped against the plaster covered wall just as the other three, who'd followed more slowly to the unfinished and sparsely furnished building, entered the room one by one.

"He's gone too?" Mick asked.

"I don't understand. Where could they have gone?" Jack's question was more to himself, but David felt he had an answer.

"I think they went back."

Jack turned to look at him. "Back?"

David shrugged. "Back to wherever they came from."

"So two dead bodies just picked themselves off the floor and waltzed back to their fictional homes? ...Homes you people think really exist?" Sutherland questioned.

David shrugged again, apparently not feeling inclined to explain himself further. They all stared at him incredulously, except for Schreber. The psychiatrist's brows creased in a thoughtful frown as he crossed his arms tightly in front of him.

"Perhaps- there is something- that keeps us here," Schreber suggested, seeming willing to accept David's hypothesis. "Something that, once we are dead, is severed and allows us to return- home."

No one said anything. It was certainly one of the most morbid ideas that could have been put forth. To go home by way of death? Even if it were true, the doppelgangers just hoped it wasn't the only option.

Jack turned his attention to Sutherland. "And what do you think?"

Sutherland seemed just as incredulous as he and Mick. "I... I have no idea. None of this should be possible. I didn't really think twice when she suggested that I..."

Sutherland's eyes widened and he closed his mouth realizing what he'd spoken aloud more than he'd meant to. It was too late however and Jack and David were looking at him expectantly.

"What did you say?" the vampire questioned, taking a step towards the wide eyed actor.

"When _who _said _what_?" Jack asked, stepping forward as well, though his action was more to keep himself between David and Sutherland than as a threat.

Kiefer hesitated a moment, his mind obviously racing. "You've got to understand... where I come from, it's like where you're from, Jack. ...Sort of. There's no magic, no vampires, or psychics, or aliens, or people who... who can bend the world to their will with just their mind.

"When people say that you can... make weird things happen if you do something, wish something, _think _something, you think they're crazy! That sort of thing can't happen. You can't bring fake people to life or drag them from different dimensions... or whatever. It's just... crazy," he finished somewhat lamely.

David smirked, allowing himself a quick glance at Jack and the others before meeting Sutherland's eyes. "I guess it's not all crazy."

Kiefer looked at him a long moment before his face relaxed somewhat and he gave a short peculiar laugh. "I guess not. ...You know... When I saw you guys here, I believed that you, fictional people from television, were really physically here almost immediately and that I was responsible for that. That's how convincing that girl was. I didn't believe it in the slightest until the proof was right in front of me."

"What girl?" Jack questioned.

Sutherland chuckled. "That's a long story, but an unimportant one. What is important," Sutherland said quickly, putting a hand up to hold up Jack's protests. "Is that I'm beginning to believe something what I didn't before: that you're more than just characters in a story. Mickey's proved that to me, I think. The person he is now is not the same person who'd just learned he had visions in the Eye of the Killer. He's grown from that."

"What about the whole death thing?" Mick asked.

Sutherland frowned a moment then looked to Jack. "Who's the President of the United States?"

Jack's eyebrow rose questioningly as he wondered what that had to do with anything. "President Keller is in office. Why?"

Sutherland nodded. "Well, my guess then is that you won't be dead if you go back."

The doppelgangers stared. "Why?"

"Well... because you can't be dead. Jack, President Keller puts you between seasons 3 and 4 of 24. Since you make it to season 4, you can't die now. Assuming all of you follow the same rules, whatever those are, none of you would die either," Kiefer replied looking to the others, his gaze pausing on David.

"So... just because I'm not dead on your television show, you think I won't be dead after dying here?" Jack asked dubiously.

Sutherland shrugged helplessly. "Sure. Why not?"

"Yah, I want to trust my life to that," Mick replied sarcastically.

"Who wants to go first?" David questioned from his place between Jack and Mick.

Schreber, off to the side and somewhat closer to Sutherland looked away thoughtfully, but nervously. The agent and the detective turned to glare at David and Sutherland was looking pale again.

"But none of that means you have to go killing yourselves! Why don't you just... stay here. Well, not here. I live here and that would be odd," Kiefer said hastily.

"You don't sound so sure of yourself now, Sutherland," Mick replied. Before Kiefer could reply, David spoke.

"It doesn't matter," the vampire declared. He straightened, his eyes shining. "We know all we need to know about Sutherland. He brought us here, but he's useless. He can't explain the dreams, how we knew him, how we got here, or how we can get us back. We have a theory of our own and it seems to be at least half right. The only thing left to do now is test it."

The vampire looked meaningfully at Jack. The agent stared back evenly. "Why don't you go first?"

Jack tensed. "If you're so impatient, why don't you?"

The kid who wasn't a kid smirked darkly. "Because I know that there will be some who can't do it themselves. I'll be happy to help."

Sutherland stepped closer to them, worry plain on his features. "Listen, I don't... want to be responsible for more deaths. We could talk more about this-"

Suddenly David was sidestepping Jack and smashing his fist into Sutherland's face. The actor spun away and to the ground, out cold.

"Enough talking," David growled as Jack and Mick drew their weapons. "Time's up. I've got no where to go now. The sun's come up. I'm trapped here and I'm not leaving any of you around to kill me while I sleep. Death is the answer? Then I'll help you all to it."

-.-.-.-.-

* * *

_Author's note: The last and final chapter will be up much sooner than the last few. In the mean time, feel free to post a review of your thoughts or opinions on the chapter:D_


	16. Chapter XVI: Define 'Hero'

_Well, here it is. The final chapter of this very odd tale. _

_twentyfour.mad: Heh, yeah, lots of thought went into this. Maybe a tad too much! ;p Thanks for the compliment and sticking with the story from beginning to end!_

_Weatherfac: I'm glad that you've enjoyed the story and don't want it to end! That means a lot. I hope you like the final chapter as well. _

_Disclaimer: Still, I own nothing but the plot. All characters are from their respective movies/tv shows which belong to their respective companies. _

_-.-.-.-_

_**Define "Hero"**_

David growled. "Death is the answer? Then I'll help you all to it."

With a roar so ferocious it momentarily froze Jack and Mick in their tracks, David lunged towards Jack, the closer of the pair, his face transforming into that horrible demonic guise before their eyes. Jack lifted the weapon to fire but David came in close and fast, grabbing the gun with one hand and striking towards the agent with the other. Jack let go with one hand to block the strike and fought David for control of the weapon. David had more power, but Jack knew how to maneuver a body. Calculated placement of his knee on the inside of David's leg and a shift in weight forced the knee to bend, tripping the vampire and causing him to take several surprised steps backward. Jack, following to keep the vampire close, tried without luck to twist the dangerous weapon from his opponent's hold as he barely kept David's other arm locked harmlessly at his side.

To the side Schreber shouted once for them to stop before retreating several steps fearfully as Jack and David's struggle brought them closer. Mick aimed his weapon, attempting vainly to find a good target, but David and Jack were moving around too quickly and he couldn't fire for fear of hitting Jack. Finally the detective gave up and moved in to help the agent manually.

Just then two shots sounded sharply and two shells from Jack's gun, still held by both the agent and the vampire, fell to the floor with a dull jingle.

Jack watched in horror, David shouted in anger, and Schrerber averted his gaze as Mickey Hayden, crystal blue eyes wide with shock and agony, took a faltering step then collapsed. He was dead by the time he hit the floor, dark red blood seeping out from two holes in his chest to stain his light shirt.

The following silence was deafening and seemed to drag out forever.

'How had this happened?' Jack wondered. 'How had things spiraled so badly out of control?'

"No!" David growled again, giving up on the weapon and stepping away. Jack had no doubt that the creature was only upset because Mick had failed to give him what he wanted before dying. The creature's yellow eyes, narrowed into slits, suddenly turned away from Mick and he spun to the side where Schreber was standing, staring aghast at the scene, but quite oblivious of David's sudden attention until it was too late.

David grabbed the psychiatrist roughly. With one hand he yanked one of the doctor's arms behind his back into a painful lock. The other the vampire wrapped around Schreber's neck in a proficient choke. Not only was it proficient, but if David twisted his arm up and to the side, he could efficiently snap Schreber's neck.

"David, freeze!" Jack shouted, aiming the weapon he still held. The weapon that had caused the death of Mick Hayden. David kept himself low behind the frightened doctor, remaining out of Jack's line of sight.

"Go ahead, Bauer, shoot. You'll be doing him a favor. I'm sure he'd rather die by your hand than mine. Even though I'd make it quick," David replied, emphasizing the last word by tightening his arm around Schreber's throat. Schreber choked and struggled against the offending vice-like arm, but to no avail.

"Stop!" Jack ordered, or maybe he begged. He wasn't sure anymore. "Let him go!"

"Oh, that's right. You still don't believe death is the answer."

"Mick's not gone, David. He didn't disappear and go back to some fantasy world. He's right there. Dead!" Jack exclaimed.

"This isn't our place!" David shouted back, twisting Schreber's arm in aggravation until he whimpered. "Can't you see that? You can't contact anyone you know because they don't exist here!"

"If they don't exist here, then they don't exist anywhere!" Jack exclaimed.

"Then I guess your deaths will be solely for pleasure."

Jack saw the glint in David's eyes and he started forward with a shout on his lips, but something stopped him. As David's arm began to twist Jack met Daniel Schreber's eyes. The psychiatrist looked back at him assuringly, his gaze almost soothing and it caused Jack to freeze in disbelief.

And then it was over. Jack stood there, his breathing shaky from anger and horror as the timid doctor's body was dropped carelessly to the floor. Why was this happening? Why couldn't he save anyone? How could he have let things get so out of hand?

Suddenly Jack found himself shouting, his anger and guilt bringing him a single focus. "You sunnovabitch!"

Jack dodged right and fired off his weapon even as David dodged in the opposite direction. The creature's speed was amazing, but Jack knew as he watched David leap deftly over Schreber's body and dive effortlessly behind a desk, that the creature was only toying with him.

"Watch your language, Jack! The children might be watching," David laughed from his place of hiding.

Emotion and adrenaline continued to focus Jack until they'd melded and melted away into pure tactics and instinct. He scanned the room in a split second then charged for the door, firing a few rounds into the desk for cover. A plan was already forming in his mind as he made it to the stairs and took them two at a time.

"This is how it should be, Bauer!"

David's unearthly voice echoed up the stairwell and off the walls making him sound like his was everywhere at once. Jack didn't pause his ascent, but was the smallest bit relieved that David was following, leaving Sutherland behind and for the moment, forgotten.

"It's just the two of us in the hunt that everyone's been waiting for!" David chuckled and Jack could just imagine the menacing smirk.

Jack scanned the area he was in, knowing he had only seconds. David might look like a kid, even act like one, but there was wisdom in his eyes that came only with time and experience. What the agent had earlier taken as an arrogant, pretentious nature and a teenager's overconfidence, Jack now recognized as a dangerous intelligence and, perhaps, an older soul.

Maybe David had been an amateur at torture, but this was his element now, Jack knew. Hunting. But Jack was a hunter too, which is why he knew David's taunts were not just taunts. The building's design and composition resulted in the strange echoing of sounds, making it difficult to tell where they had originated from. The echoes hid David's true location in a blanket of distorted sound.

That's why Jack dove into the closest room, closing the door silently behind him and staying put. The best way to win this was to bring the vampire to him.

-.-.-.-.-.-

David's footsteps didn't make a sound as he climbed the stairs. The vampire watched the open space above him in case the agent decided to fire over the rail. He wasn't counting on it, though. Jack had to know that would only succeed in giving away his position

"Jack!" His call bounced off the walls and echoed up the winding staircase. Why the staircase went up through the center of the building he didn't know, but it did wonders for the acoustics. "It's the final showdown. The hero and the villain!"

David paused, listening intently to how his voice echoed before deciding yet again that the media's whole comparing vampire to bats thing was highly over-dramatized. He blamed Dracula.

Although David and his pack from back home had a thing for hanging upside down while they slept, they did not turn into bats, hang around bats, talk to bats, or anything weird like that. He'd be perfectly happy if he never ran into a bat again, but if there was one thing David envied of the little flying critters, it was the whole echolocation thing. Now _that_ would be a neat trick.

As it was, however, David's echoes bounced meaninglessly off walls and other objects revealing nothing of his prey's location. It did, oddly enough, hide him from Jack in a far more eerie way than simply hunting him down in silence.

"The hero and the villain," David repeated. "Just like Sutherland's movies, I bet."

The vampire paused to inhale deeply. There it was. The scent of his prey. Who needed echolocation! It smelled of sweat and gunpowder, but hardly as much fear as he liked.

"Here's a question for you though: Which one of us is really the villain here? You're the one who wanted to stop me from helping the others go home."

David chuckled. He was a floor below Jack now so he paused and glanced up. Human or no, Jack was trained to hunt and kill, but the fact that he had to consider his prey's moves only made the game more interesting.

"I'm the one trying to save everyone!" David exclaimed. "So really... I'm the hero. You're the villain!"

-.-.-.-.-

Against the wall opposite the door, Jack waited, partly hidden behind a couch. The shoddy piece of furniture wouldn't stop a bullet if David had decided to filch Mick Hayden's gun, but it was better than nothing.

The agent doubted his enemy would have picked up the weapon anyway. Although it would add to the advantages David already possessed, it wasn't his style.

He listened to David's proclamation of heroism and stifled a snort of disgust. He doubted highly that David truly thought he was doing anything but getting rid of possible threats.

Minutes past and Jack's gun, held outstretched before him began to feel heavy in his arms. What was David waiting for? The agent didn't believe that David simply couldn't find him. Was he waiting for Jack to slip up? To make a move too soon?

"Bauer!"

The sudden noise startled Jack, but in an instant he was focused once again.

"One more question and then it'll all be over," David called.

Jack found himself swallowing hard as he waited. David's voice echoed through the building, but there was something slightly different about it now. Jack tightened his grip on his trusted weapon, a deep breath of cool morning air, seeping in from the partially open window to his left, relaxing him for the final struggle. David called out his question.

"How do you feel about snakes?"

Jack lifted an eyebrow. Snakes? What did that have to do with...

In his hands Jack felt something squirm. The agent's gaze focused in on his hands and in the blink of an eye he realized that his fingers were laced not around his gun, but a writhing black adder.

The agent's eyes widened in surprise as the venomous snake turned its head his way and let out a long, low hiss. For a split second Jack was torn between the urge to toss the thing away and incredulity at its presence in his grip.

His hesitation paid off and suddenly the door to the room burst open, nearly breaking off its hinges. The noise shocked Jack out of his confusion and suddenly he was holding only his weapon once again. Before he could wonder at David's strange power, the vampire shot into the room, strafing towards Jack's left. The agent switched back to hunting mode and took new aim with the 9mm, trying to keep up with David's movements.

Then David moved in towards him and Jack fired off several rounds. Smoke wafted off the weapon as he fired again and again, but somehow the creature had learned from his earlier mistakes and was anticipating his shots with an astounding accuracy and, unscathed, David continued his advance.

And then David was upon him. The vampire went for the gun, swiping Jack's arms out wide and causing the agent to spin left. Jack went with his newfound momentum and stepped with it. His left hand released his weapon and he continued his spin, leaving his back open to David for a dangerous second before coming around hard and fast with a back fist directed at his opponent's head.

David was forced to dodge at an awkward angle to avoid the fist, but while doing so he twisted the wrist he still held, forcing Jack to reflexively release his gun.

"Not bad, Jack," David replied as the gun hit the floor.

With a growl Jack spun back, twisting his trapped wrist and pulling it close to him. David lost hishold and as soon as Jack's arm was free it went up to jab David in the face. The vampire tried to dodge, but didn't quite get out of the way and the fist glanced painfully off his cheekbone with a force that would otherwise have crushed his nose.

"Not bad at all!" David replied, enjoying this far too much.

Another jab momentarily wiped the smile off his face as he was forced to block. The next series of strikes had the vampire blocking, dodging, and occasionally taking a hit.

"So, what's your plan, David?" the agent demanded through his heated blows. "Kill me then kill yourself? Go back home?"

David smirked. "I don't know. Maybe I'll hang around for a bit first." The vampire bared his teeth, fangs gleaming despite the dim light. "Maybe I'll have a better look at the locals."

Anger boiled in Jack as he thought of all the innocents that would be at this murderer's mercy. "So you want to stay in Los Angeles." It wasn't a question.

"Not forever. I've got family to go back to. What about you, Jack?" David questioned, more than eager to make Jack the one in the hotseat. "Do you have a family?"

The question stung Jack and he swung hard. David blocked it easily, more easily than before. It was as if Jack's pain was invigorating him somehow.

"Maybe I should look them up while I'm here. They've got to have their own counterparts, just like we have Sutherland."

Jack swung again and followed up with a knee, his expression a mask of something between fury and stoicism, but again, David blocked.

"Maybe an old girlfriend, hm? A wife?"

David darted forward and struck Jack hard in the chest, sending the agent stumbling backwards until he hit the wall. Jack glared at him as he wheezed, trying to take back the air that had been knocked viciously from his lungs.

"How about children, Jack?" David stalked slowly towards his prey. His black leather boots hardly making a sound as they hit the wooden floorboards. Jack tried to straighten, to prepare himself, but he couldn't seem to get his legs to work the way he wanted. The man set his jaw stiffly as the doppelganger approached, his hands pressed against the wall as if trying to use it to stabilize him. "You do, don't you. You're thinking of it-her- right now. Never going to see her again?"

Suddenly David was right in front of him, his coat swaying from a movement so fast Jack had hardly seen it. David's hands, no longer gloved and as pale as his face, were around Jack's throat before he'd even finished registering David's presence. A searing pain shot from the tear in Jack's neck and he cried out despite himself, one hand grasping futilely at David's arms. David only grinned and began lifting the agent up.

"Well, we'll see soon enough, won't we. It's been... fun," David said simply.

And that's when David noticed something strange about the hand Jack had been using to try to free him. It wasn't trying to free him at all… It was keeping David close. It seemed like slow motion as David looked from that gripping hand to the other which had slipped unnoticed behind Jack's back, beneath his hooded sweater, and was now coming back around front, striking right towards David's chest with something sharp gripped in the fist. The vampire tried to move, but Jack's first hand still held him in place. The vampire's eyes went wide and he stared in surprise into Jack's eyes -his own eyes- as the hidden weapon drove straight into David's chest.

With a shocked howl of sheer agony, David released Jack who dropped onto his feet, coughing heavily, his stern yet somehow sad eyes never leaving the dying creature before him. David took a faltering step back then fell to his knees, his eyes scrunched closed, and a moan escaping his lips as he grasped futilely at the broken wooden chair leg that protruded from his chest. Jack shifted to his left, but didn't leave. Somehow David managed to open his eyes and he looked up questioningly at Jack. The agent might not have been a mind reader, but he understood the query.

"I still don't believe in vampires," Jack told him. "But I figure… a wooden stake to the heart will kill anyone."

David stared incredulously for a moment, blood dribbling from his pale lips and seeping through his black shirt. Then he smirked and bowed his head. In defeat, Jack thought, until he heard a low growl from his opponent. The sound erupted into a roar as David used every last bit of strength he had to drive himself up and straight into Jack. Stunned Jack didn't understand the full meaning of David's attack until he was flying backward, still tangled with his doppelganger, right into the window.

Jack's eyes went wide as David's tackle took them both straight through the glass and suddenly Jack felt his heart in his throat as he and David began the ten story plummet.

'This is it…' Jack thought and he found himself wanting to believe, truly wanting to believe, that death was a way back home, back to a place where the world made some kind of sense.

Jack instinctively put up his arm to protect his face as, beside him, flames suddenly flared up off of David as rays from the sun peeking through the clouds struck him. Somehow still alive, Jack could hear the weakened creature's cry of agony begin anew past the deafening sound of wind rushing in his ears.

He pulled his gaze from David only to be looking at the ground that was flying up to meet him and he found that he couldn't look away...

-.-.-.-.-.-.-

"Jack!"

The sound of his own name was what brought him to. He jumped in surprise, hands flying out in front of him for protection.

"Whoa, easy, Jack," came the feminine voice again.

Jack looked up into the familiar face of Michelle Dessler. His curly haired coworker looked down at him with concern. Taking a moment, Jack looked around him.

He was seated on a cold tiled floor, his back pressed against a cool cement wall. From a quick glance left and right he noted he was in a long hallway, recognizable by its lighting and style. Somehow he was back at CTU.

"Hey, are you all right? When did you get back? I thought you took some vacation time," Michelle said, looking him.

"I... just got back," was all he could think to say. He stood, still trying to grasp what had happened. The last thing he remembered was... fear. The ground had come up so fast... Jack rubbed his eyes. He didn't remember hitting the ground, but he remembered the instant right before when his mind had gone utterly blank and he'd closed his eyes in resignation.

Michelle tipped her head to the side. "You just got back, so you decided to go to work and sleep in the hallway?" she asked skeptically.

Jack looked back at her, trying to maintain his normal air of calm. "I... wanted to check something. I just sat down for a minute... I guess I nodded off."

Michelle crossed her arms, looking like she wanted to discuss it further, but finally she just shook her head. "All right. You should go home after you're done. Even you need some real sleep every once and a while."

Jack nodded, only half hearing her as he turned and began to walk away. Was it possible he'd imagined everything? Meeting Mick, David, and the others? Had the search for Sutherland all been in his head? He wasn't sure which answer he liked better. That it had all been a product of his imagination or that somewhere out there, there were a good half dozen other versions of himself wandering around.

"Hey, Jack."

Jack paused and turned back to Michelle who was still watching after him.

"Do you mind if I ask what happened?"

Jack lifted an eyebrow questioningly and Michelle tapped her neck. With a frown, Jack's hand went to his own neck where his fingers touched the gauze that Daniel Schreber had placed over the wound in his neck. A wound that, to Jack's surprise, no longer hurt...

Jack looked at his friend a moment, his expression one of confusion until it was replaced with a humored but half-hearted smile. "I... picked a fight with a vampire," he replied simply.

Then, one hand still over the gauze still covered in dried blood, he turned away. If he was still alive... that meant the others probably were too, he realized. Banks, Mick, Schreber... Jack sighed, a weight lifting from his chest.

"I'm going home" he called back as he continued down the hall, leaving Michelle to look after him in confusion.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

David jerked awake, his mouth still open in a silent scream of agony that he no longer felt. That the pain was gone was the first thing he noticed. The second was that he was upside down. His long black coat hung behind him, brushing against his dangling arms. And then he heard familiar laughter at about the same time he noted the pressure of a pair of hands on each of his boots, keeping him suspended high off the floor of a familiar room of rock.

"David, man, what the hell? When did you get here?"

David lifted his head to look ceilingward. There, hanging from the beam where they slept by clawed feet, hung his gang, his pack. It had been Marko who'd spoken. He was the furthest from David while the other two, Paul and Dwayne held on to him.

"Uh... David?" Now it was Paul who spoke.

David grinned and suddenly became light in the hold of Dwayne and Paul. The pair looked at him inquisitively and released him. Without loosing any height, the bleach blond turned himself around in midair and with a thought lifted himself higher so that he was level with the confused faces of his three upside down packmates.

"Thanks for the catch, boys."

"No problem," Paul replied. Dwayne nodded silently, dark black hair swaying.

"What happened?" David asked curiously.

"That's what we'd like to know!" Marko exclaimed. "There I was, finally falling asleep when all of a sudden I felt this intense suffering coming from you. I opened my eyes and suddenly you were falling from the ceiling!"

Paul and Dwayne nodded in agreement, Marko's story matching their own.

"If I didn't know better, I'd have thought you were dying from the pain I felt," Marko said seriously, rubbing his hand over his chest- over his heart right where David had been run through with the make-shift stake.

David frowned. "Maybe I was," he said quietly. Paul and Dwayne looked at him curiously, but said nothing.

Marko, his long curly mane looking wild upside down, crossed his arms. "I still don't get how you fell like that. You're wearing your boots, so you weren't sleeping... What's going on?"

David wondered fleetingly why and how he'd just appeared there, but then he realized something else and grinned. He'd cheated death. Again. David chuckled as he began a controlled descent to the ground below. "It's just been a long night," he answered. "I was shot, staked, burned-"

"Wait, 'staked'?" Marko questioned. He glanced at the others who were in a similar state of confusion. David didn't seem to have heard the question.

"And I saw enough versions of myself for a psychologist to have a field day," David continued.

Suddenly Marko dropped down in front of him and put a hand on his forehead, checking for a temperature that wouldn't be there.

"You feeling alright?" Marko asked anyway. "Drink some bad blood?"

David slapped the hand away with a scowl of annoyance as Paul and Dwayne touched down behind Marko.

"Did you find what you ran off to look for?" Dwayne asked as Paul yawned loudly.

Taking his glare off Marko, David regained his air of mystique and his blue eyes once again seemed thoughtful as they stared into the darkness of the tunnel that led out to the main part of the cave.

"I did," he replied after a pause.

The other three glanced to each other, obviously wanting a little more out of him than that.

"So..." Marko crossed his arms as he eyed David curiously. "So who is Kiefer Sutherland anyway?"

David tipped his head to the side, taking the three other vampires in at once as he considered the question. That smirk pulled at his lips as he shrugged.

"Kiefer Sutherland? I think he's the only one that could tell you that."

And with that David turned away and lifted himself by will alone into the air, floating up towards the beams from which they hung during their daily hibernation. The others stared after him in annoyance. After a moment Marko shouted up to him.

"Wow, way to be vague, David!"

David's humored chuckle filtered down from the cavernous roof, but the others never got the answers they were looking for. The truth, David thought, was best left between him, the other look-alikes, and Sutherland.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

-Fin-

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

* * *

_A.N.: Thanks for being so patient with the chapters. Life has a way of getting in the way sometimes. ;p I hope you've enjoyed this story. Thank you to all who've taken the time to read this story and a special thanks to all who've reviewed. Your comments have always brightened my day! _


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